Taking Islands in Africa

In March 1980 Japan headed for the country of their band-name, embarking on a tour to support the Quiet Life album. Mick Karn later recalled how their travel was ‘more often than not by Shinkansen, the luxuriously smooth bullet train…It was on one such journey I heard a cassette that was being circulated amongst the band, on my Walkman, the latest invention from Sony. Electronic music was the future, Kraftwerk were already a favourite, but there was something different about this band. YMO were the perfect accompaniment to the speeding scenery outside, it was one of those moments when music and visuals became one, quite by accident, and somehow captured the very spirit of Japan. We couldn’t believe that no-one had heard of them abroad.’ (2009)

It was during the same trip to Japan that the band first met Ryuichi Sakamoto, keyboard player with Yellow Magic Orchestra and, in this context, interviewer of David Sylvian for Music Life magazine. Little did either party know that this was to be the start of a friendship and musical partnership that would span decades to come. At the time of writing this article, ‘Life, Life’ from Sakamoto’s 2017 album Async features one of Sylvian’s most recently released performances, well over 35 years later.

The track ‘Riot in Lagos’ from Ryuichi’s album B-2 Unit was recorded in 1980 by Sakamoto with Dennis Bovell at the latter’s then-new studio in Southwark, London – Studio 80. The Barbados-born reggae guitarist and dub producer recently recounted the experience: ‘I was a Yellow Magic Orchestra fan so I knew who I was dealing with and what the possibilities were…He turned up with an instrument called a Prophet 10, which was brand new and a double manual Prophet 5 keyboard. I’d only ever seen a Prophet 5. Then he said, “right, record.”

‘I recorded a drum track that he wanted. He said, “right, play that back.” As I played back something he’d be jotting on his manuscript paper and then he’d say, “Roll!” and he recorded that whole piece. Then I proceeded to cut it up and dub it and he was like, “Yeah, that’s what I want…” That hadn’t been done until then as far as I know. And that track caused quite a stir…We did it in a few hours.

‘Ryuichi was very quick and he knew what he wanted to do. He’d hear notes in his head, get the manuscript, write it down and then play what he heard in his head. Most people have an idea and sort of tap it out, but being able to write music he could transfer his thoughts into notes, and he did. It was a great exercise in how to compose instantaneously, which is something I am very fond of doing, so watching him do it just confirmed my thoughts that it’s a great thing to do.’ (2019)

That same year when Japan entered London’s Air Studios to record an album for their new label, Virgin, sessions for B-2 Unit were coincidentally taking place in an adjoining studio. Sakamoto’s engineer was now a certain Steve Nye, who would himself play a major role in the musical lives of Japan and David Sylvian in the years to come. It was perhaps inevitable then that conversations about music between Sakamoto and Sylvian should move on to a collaboration.

The fast execution and focus that Dennis Bovell described were much in evidence when Sakamoto joined the band in their studio to work on a track. It was 14 August 1980, late on in a day that had begin with Mick Karn re-recording his bass for the never-to-make-the-album ‘Some Kind of Fool’. Karn: ‘Ryuichi is a professor of music and could turn the pages of his sheet music, smoke, doodle, dial real phone numbers, juggle, prepare and eat lunch with one hand, while recording the keyboard parts to ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ with the other. Amazing to watch him in action, and we thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment.’ (2009)

Sylvian remembered the experience with similar admiration. ‘I vividly recall Ryuichi joining our session late one evening in Studio One of George Martin’s Air Studios. He brought with him a Prophet 5 synthesiser, and proceeded to lay down track after track after track until the entire piece was more or less completed. It was a bravado performance…Beautiful!

‘I took the track home with me that evening, returning next morning with lyric and melody completed. By the time Ryuichi appeared at the studio later that day (he was recording B-2 Unit in Studio Three), the track was finished.’ (2002)

From the dull attack of the opening notes announcing ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ as the final song on Gentlemen Take Polaroids, there are so many different aspects of the synthesised sounds to enjoy. Each distinct keyboard voicing adds to the vibrancy and atmosphere of the piece. It never seems crowded, with each sound complementing the others in the mix. Listening so many years on it still seems unique and fresh, which is truly remarkable considering how early in the ’80s this was created and how so many synthesised sounds from the first part of that decade sound brash and unsophisticated to today’s ears.

The deepest bass part alternates slowly from one note to another like the paddle of a boat, first at one side of the vessel and then at the other, propelling us forward along some African river. Percussion beats come in wide on the right channel with a quick response from the left, the pattern then being reversed. There’s a beautiful continuing high-pitched melody, with a mid-range synth sound used for a solo in an instrumental passage. Extended high notes are twisted and manipulated but remain bright and inviting. As the lyrics give way to backing vocals, we hear a keyboard effect akin to a lead guitar solo which recurs at the next refrain of ‘outside there’s a world waiting…’

I just love picking one of the sounds and following that part through the entire piece. It’s all constructed so masterfully. In the end it comes down to heavily-reverbed electronic percussion strikes as Sylvian delivers the final words… ‘The wind blows hard into my sails.’

The lyric Sylvian wrote that night is effective in creating vivid images in the mind’s eye of the listener, using a strong sense of place rooted in the song’s title (a striking phrase from the words of the already-penned ‘Swing’):

‘Taking islands in Africa
Watch the slow boat hit and run’

Each picture is an opportunity to portray something of the inner life, with descriptions of the physical environment providing a window to human emotion:

‘Every day the sun beats down
I pull away from shore
The wind blows hard into my sails
Now I know I’m out of touch
And times they could get tough
But I move on so how can I fail?’

There’s no doubt that at this stage in Sylvian’s songwriting, meaning is only hinted at and there is much room for interpretation; but that’s not such a weakness when there is just enough clarity for the listener to find their own significance in the words. For me, this song speaks of a determined spirit of going out into the ‘world waiting’ and to ‘take it all by storm’. Keep moving forward – who knows what awaits but:

‘When the evening fires burn
Daylight dead and gone
With you beside me we can run.’

The track credits tell us that Ryuichi Sakamoto plays keyboards and keyboard percussion. Steve Jansen points to the YMO man’s use of the just-released Roland MC-4 sequencer in addition to his mastery of the Sequential Circuits Prophet. David Sylvian contributes vocals and additional keyboards with Richard Barbieri on synthesised bass. There is no appearance from either Rob Dean or Mick Karn on the song, despite their presence when it was constructed. Jansen is credited with African drums, percussion and additional keyboard percussion, but his recollection is of a peripheral involvement: ‘I believe I played real hi-hat and possibly other percussion on ‘Taking Islands…’ but Ryuichi Sakamoto pretty much constructed the entire thing on the Pro-5, and the man has great timing so it was like having the day off.’ (2018)

According to Mick Karn, the limited involvement of the wider band ‘presented us with a set of problems. Much as I respect Ryuichi and hold him dear as a warm friend, the track, being a collaboration between Dave and Ryuichi, had little to do with the musicians in Japan (the band), and mismatched the rest of the album’ (2009). Having grown to know Gentlemen Take Polaroids as a whole, I’ve never considered the track in any way incongruous to the rest of the album from a listener’s perspective, embracing as it does styles as different as ‘Methods of Dance’ and ‘Nightporter’. But Mick wasn’t alone in the thought; in 1981 Ryuichi himself told Sylvian, ‘when I heard ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ on the record, it sounded very different from the rest of the material, rather unlike Japan…’

Sakamoto continued, however, ‘Yesterday in concert it seemed to have been absorbed quite naturally into the repertoire, and was very fresh. I really liked it.’ Recordings from that tour bear witness to sweeping keyboard lines from Richard Barbieri and a driving but repetitive live drum part from Steve Jansen, which again accompanies Sylvian’s vocal in the stripped back ending. There is also a recognisably “Mick” bassline –  maybe it’s the unsophisticated nature of the recordings, but this sounds a bit out of keeping to these ears, being so used to hearing the deep and understated bass of the original.

Steve Jansen recently went so far as to categorise the song as Japan’s ‘most regrettable track. ‘Taking Islands…’,’ he said, ‘should have been on a Sakamoto album.’ (2018)

Whatever the rights and wrongs of whether it belongs on …Polaroids, ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ is an exquisite piece of highly original synthesiser-driven pop music. Distinct, peculiar sounds working together with exotic lyrics to concoct a vivid atmosphere in melody and imagination. Returning to these Japan albums is an absolute joy; there is great sophistication and creativity in the songs which certainly stand the test of time.

At the time of release, an interviewer remarked to David Sylvian that despite ‘Taking Islands…’ being composed with Sakamoto, there was no real Japanese influence in the song. Sylvian conceded the point: ‘It doesn’t have it, does it?’, but interestingly added, ‘I think the music reflects lots of Ryuichi’s characteristics, so some people might find it Japanese.’ The cross-fertilisation of eastern and western musical styles is a fascinating hallmark of Sakamoto’s work, pulling in influences from across the globe. The discussion on ethnic echoes continued with the interviewer commenting, ‘The title says, “Africa”, but it’s not even African is it?’ Sylvian: ‘Yes it is, I think. Just a little bit though. The rhythm or the African drums… we used those instruments in order to add a bit of African taste to the song. But it’s not obvious, it’s very subtle.’ (1980)

The very same things could be said about the B-2 Unit track that Ryuichi recorded with Dennis Bovell, ‘Riot in Lagos’, and on my playlist I like to play this alongside ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ and another B-2 Unit track, ‘E-3A’. The history of these pieces of music is so intertwined and they have their roots in the same visionary application of technology.

Interviewed for Anthony Reynolds’ book A Foreign Place, engineer Steve Nye explained what drew him into Sakamoto’s music: ‘Wall-to-wall synthesisers, drums, bass, rhythm parts, melodies, and most importantly, sumptuous atmospheres – the lot. I already liked the techno-pop of Kraftwerk, but this had more emotion to it. I fell head-first right into it. By 1980 we were finishing recording and mixing Sakamoto’s first solo album, B-2 Unit. What a delight! I became a huge fan. These new sounds enabled a whole new world to be created. I felt at home. This is what my training had been leading up to. But now what? Ryuichi went home to Japan and that was that.’

What next for Steve Nye? Taking the engineer and co-producer’s chair for Japan’s studio recordings the following year, for what was to become Tin Drum. These sessions would take the Prophet 5 and stretch its capabilities even further in the search of never-before-heard sounds. Despite being in such close proximity to the band at Air when he was working on B-2 Unit and they on Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Nye has no recollection of meeting Japan or being involved with the Sakamoto collaboration. However, for the b-side of the single ‘Visions of China’ which heralded Tin Drum‘s arrival, he would remix ‘Taking Islands in Africa’, producing a shorter version with a drier, more stark arrangement. The Steve Nye remix version is well worth seeking out in addition to the original.

‘Taking Islands in Africa’

Richard Barbieri – bass synth; Steve Jansen – African drums, percussion, additional keyboard percussion; Ryuichi Sakamoto – keyboards, keyboard percussion; David Sylvian – vocals, additional keyboards.

Music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian. Lyrics by David Sylvian.

Produced by John Punter. From Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Virgin, 1980.

lyrics © copyright samadhisound publishing

Thank you to Paul Rymer for the photograph of Sylvian and Sakamoto from his archive and for the shot of Sakamoto and Jansen via the ymo_1978 instagram page. The main image is an alternate shot from the cover art session for Gentlemen Take Polaroids by Stuart McLeod.

Sources and acknowledgements for this article can be found here.

Download links: ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ (iTunes); ‘Riot in Lagos’ (Amazon); ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ (Steve Nye remix) (iTunes)

Physical media links: Gentlemen Take Polaroids (Amazon) (burningshed); B-2 Unit (Amazon)

‘Ryuichi was invited to record on Gentlemen Take Polaroids when in the UK. He constructed the basic track purely on a Prophet 5 synth, which was quite a masterclass in synth programming and sounded reminiscent of his inspiring solo album B-2 Unit. I’ve worked with Ryuichi on quite a number of recordings over the years since then, as well as for live and tv performances, and he is always a great pleasure to work with and the consummate professional.’ Steve Jansen, 2017

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