Coming two years after Thousand Knives, 1980’s B-2 Unit sees Ryuichi Sakamoto pressing deeper into unexplored sonic worlds, sculpting a more experimental alternative to the ever-so-slightly more mainstream synthpop sounds he was conjuring during daytime hours with Yellow Magic Orchestra. With a who’s who of players from the experimental pop scene including legendary dub producer Dennis Bovell, Penguin Cafe Orchestra’s Steve Nye, XTC’s Andy Partridge, Logic System’s Hideki Matsutake and YMO guitarist Kenji Omura, Sakamoto forges one of the most curiously alluring and listenable albums of his catalogue, smashing open the sonic possibilities of the 1980s in the process. “Not The 6 O’Clock News” forecasts RDJ Album-era Aphex Twin two decades early; other highlights include robotic ballad “Thatness And Thereness,” the quirky FM-fueled grooves of “Riot In Lagos” and electrified kitchen clang of “E-3A,” “Iconic Storage” and “Participation Mystique.” The record winds down with the apocalyptic curtain of “End Of Europe,” a gloomy callback to Thousand Knives’ equally moody “End Of Asia.” This first pressing in 35 years looks and sounds brilliant… remastered by Heba Kadry, cut by Bernie Grundman, pressed at Sony Japan and packaged with replica obi strip, printed inner sleeve and liner notes insert. Recommended.

• Japanese import black vinyl pressing
• remastered sound, pressed at Sony Japan
• includes replica obi strip, insert + printed inner sleeve
• limited edition
• music label: Great Tracks 2019

reviewed by sunrise mart 12/2019