Pitchfork

Ryuichi Sakamoto photo by Kazunari Tajima / Christopher Willits photo by Charis Briley

Innocence and experience, guitar and piano, Christopher Willits and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Combine these elements and you've got another disparate pairing, Ocean Fire, Sakamoto and Willits' new collaborative LP.

According to a press release, Ocean Fire is "dedicated to the healing and restoration of our fragile oceans," which is more than we can say for, like, Strawberry Jam.

The ocean-healing begins on February 12, when 12k Recordings releases the seven-track ambient LP under the Willits + Sakamoto banner (it's out now in Japan via Commmons/Avex). Mr. Willits is currently working on the follow-up to 2006's Surf Boundaries; he also has a couple shows lined up with collaborator Scott Pagano.

Ocean Fire:

01 Toward Water
02 Umi
03 Sea Plains
04 Sentience
05 Chi-Yu
06 Cold Heat
07 Ocean Sky Remains

Christopher Willits + Scott Pagano:

01-23 Canton, NY - St. Lawrence University
01-26 New York, NY - Monkey Town