WORLD CITIZEN (WITH RYUICHI SAKAMOTO)

'World Citizen' is a 2003 collaborative EP released by Japanese sound designer Ryuichi Sakamoto and ex-Japan frontman and moody crooner David Sylvian, containing two distinct versions of a song that was supposed to be part of a series of projects developed by the two musicians upon the instigation of the former. Of course, the collaborative efforts between these well-known figures in the world of art rock/pop date back to the 1983 single 'Forbidden Colors', a fairly well-known piece of music that has surfaced the discographies of both ever since. Now, on 'World Citizen' two distinct compositions appear - the self-titled one, which is a more traditionally-structured piece of art rock with acoustic guitars, gentle melodies and soft synth sounds in the background, reflecting upon the superpowers' fowl play, so to say. The EP offers a shorter version, a longer one (with slightly extended instrumentals), and a Ryoji Ikeda remixed versions, quite an interesting addition to the release, more pertinent to glitch pop and electronica, patchy but really effective.

The other version is the 'I Won't Be Disappointed' one, and this is where the influence of Sakamoto is more prevalent as we hear a more electronic and beat-driven piece within which the vocals fit perfectly well the collage of piano samples and static sounds purveying the piece with ambient qualities. The longer version here works in a really sublime way and perhaps overshadows the other number on the EP. Interestingly enough, a re-arranged version of this song appears on a compilation album released recently by Sylvian, adding up to the appeal of this track. Overall, this is an excellent release replete with emotive sounds, comforting and smooth, sufficiently avant-garde but never really overdone, a strong work that combines two complementary musical forces.