Ryuichi Sakamoto's "B-2 Unit" (1980) [Something Interesting #40]

Being a huge fan of YMO, I'm surprised it took long for me to check out one of Ryuichi Sakamoto's most important albums, 1980's B-2 Unit. Yet I managed to do so today while getting some work done.

Album cover for B-2 Unit - copyright presumably held by Alfa Records, designers Takeo Aizawa and Tsuguya Inoue

Would I recommend it? Sort of - it's kind of boring in places but it makes for interesting background noise and there are two tracks that stand out: the abstractly funky "Participation Mystique" and his key contribution to hip-hop history "Riot in Lagos." Both should be heard at some point, the rest of the album is hit-or-miss based on taste (it's in the Influential, But... category for me).

Wikipedia entry on this album

Wikipedia entry on Sakamoto himself

Good write-up by John Coulthart