This Ryuichi Sakamoto And Goldmund Collaboration Is A Slice Of Heaven

When he's not scoring movies, Pennsylvania-born pianist Keith Kenniff makes gentle instrumentals to soundtrack your inner monologues under the name Goldmund. In 2011, he put out a compilation to raise money for the victims of the Japanese tsunami that was set off by the fourth biggest earthquake since records began. Legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto contributed a track, and went on to invite Kenniff to take part in his own tsunami benefit project. The back-and-forth resulted in the collaborative track called "A Word I Give," which is finally seeing an official release on the new Goldmund album, Sometimes.

"I was impressed with his piano sound and his way of recording it," Ryuichi Sakamoto told The FADER. "Thus, the track was then born.” It's Kenniff's improvised piano playing you can hear on "A Word I Give," with Sakamoto's delicate production elevating the contemplative moment. "I really loved the beautiful touches he added," Kenniff told us. "It was such a pleasure to get to do something with him as a long time admirer of his work.” Western Vinyl will release Goldmund's new album, Sometimes, on CD and digital on November 13th, and the vinyl will follow on January 22nd (pre-order all formats here).