World Citizen (I Won’t Be Disappointed)

‘a conscience that will keep me wide awake’

In 2002 Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi joined forces to form a new duo outfit which they dubbed Sketch Show. It was a surprise move that delighted fans of Yellow Magic Orchestra. In particular, the project tempted Hosono back into pop territory that he had rarely inhabited since the intense but relatively brief YMO heyday from their 1978 eponymous debut to 1983’s Service.

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World Citizen – Chain Music

‘Duality is an illusion’

The terrorist attack that took place on 9/11 in 2001 shook the world to its core. I’m certain we all remember where we were when we heard the news and saw the pictures from New York on TV. For Ryuichi Sakamoto the events were literally “close to home”. Just days after that devastating event he wrote a column in the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun entitled ‘My Viewpoint’, which began:

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