Ryuichi Sakamoto - Fade (Wings of Honneamise soundtrack) (1987)

This track comes during the final sequence\montage from the animated movie Wings of Honneamise. It's an anime that I can't seem to get people to watch, which crushes me, because it is one of the best of all time. The conclusion to the movie hits me like a cinder block to the chest every time. It's about the first nation on a fictional world to achieve space flight, and the emotions and politics that come with it. This astronaut's version of the "One small step" speech is incredibly potent, considering the context and climax of how they got him in to space.

On to business. This track was written by Ryuichi Sakamoto who is a famous musician in Japan known for really innovating the boundaries of sound. I don't think a single two albums in his library sound even remotely similar. Being that he was such an innovate, he was an early adopter of FM sound, and even put out an FM preset cartridge like Toto did (though I am not sure if either made them themselves or whether they were recreations). he really showcases some of that FM programming knowledge here with an onslaught of dreamy glassy synth sounds (many of which are FM).

Topping everything off though is a monster FM bass, with an equally huge drum kit. Very reminiscent of Jane Child's "Don't Want to Fall in Love". This song, though, having come out a year before to give some context on how far ahead even this song may have sounded. The entire soundtrack to the film is great, but this is the most "song" like song on the album, and a killer example of FM!

Bonus Facts: Ryuichi Sakamoto is still working in composition today, and recently scored the movie The Revenant. Quite a departure from this song, wouldn't you say? That's what he's known for, heh.

Final thoughts: Please, if you are reading this, watch this movie. Watch it with an open mind and let the aesthetics wash over you. Even in the silence.