The great Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away recently, and while he has a lifetime of musical achievements under his belt, the work of his I’ve listened to the most is probably this collaboration with Christian Fennesz. The duo had previously collaborated at a live show in Rome, yielding the 2005 EP Sala Santa Cecilia, consisting of one 19-minute track.

If Sala Santa Cecilia is a journey (and an often-brilliant one), Cendre feels a bit more homey. Indeed, opener “Oto” hits like a fresh cup of tea, bright and mellow. Fennesz, whose guitar music occasionally commands with its intensity, steps back as Sakamoto’s piano playing takes center stage.

Sakamoto had the talent of imbuing his playing with emotion, whether that be on a stunning track like “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” or a subdued release like Async. Cendre is no different. “Haru” (sunshine or springtime) radiates with calm satisfaction. “Trace” finds Sakamoto expertly navigating some minor-key dissonance beneath a film of laptop hiss in the record’s first unsettling moment.

Things slow down even more in the album’s back half, with the penultimate “Glow” moving at a crawl. A glitchy duet, it reveals beauty in empty space. Last up is “Abyss”, with Sakamoto’s circular piano melody broken up by a brief respite in the middle of the track. The album ends in 30 seconds of near silence, the curtain closing on an outstanding meeting of two giants.

Listen to Cendre here.