David Sylvian
Encyclopedia
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan
. His subsequent solo work is described by critic Jason Ankeny as "a far-ranging and esoteric career that encompassed not only solo projects but also a series of fascinating collaborative efforts." Sylvian's solo work has been influenced by a variety of musical styles and genres, including jazz
, avant-garde
, ambient
, electronic
, and progressive rock
.
, Kent, the son of a plasterer and a housewife. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London leaving at 16. As a youth, he listened to glam rock
artists such as David Bowie
and Roxy Music
.
, whose other members included bassist Mick Karn
, guitarist Rob Dean
, keyboardist Richard Barbieri
and Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen
as drummer, began as a group of friends. As youngsters they played music as a means of escape, playing Sylvian's two-chord numbers – sometimes with Karn as the front man, sometimes with Sylvian at the fore.
They christened themselves Japan in 1974, signed a recording contract with Hansa
, and became an alternative glam rock
outfit in the mould of David Bowie
, T.Rex, and The New York Dolls. Over a period of a few years their music became more sophisticated, drawing initially on the art rock
stylings of Roxy Music
. Their visual image also evolved and the band was tagged with the New Romantic
label. Indeed, it could be argued that Japan was at the forefront of the entire New Romantic movement, even though the band never associated itself with it. Noting their distinction from the New Romantics, Sylvian stated: "I don't like to be associated with them. The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said: "For them [New Romantics], fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."
Japan recorded five studio albums between March 1978 and November 1981. In 1980, the band signed with Virgin Records
, where Sylvian remained as a recording artist for the next twenty years.
The band suffered from personal and creative clashes, particularly between Sylvian and Karn, with tensions springing from Sylvian's relationship with Yuka Fujii, a photographer, artist and designer, and Karn's former girlfriend. Fujii quickly became an influential figure in Sylvian's life. She was the first person to introduce Sylvian seriously to jazz
, which in turn inspired him to follow musical avenues not otherwise open to him. She also encouraged Sylvian to incorporate spiritual discipline into his daily routine. Throughout his solo career, Fujii maintained a large role in the design of artwork for his albums.
, entitled "Bamboo Houses/Bamboo Music
". He also worked with Sakamoto on the UK Top 20 song "Forbidden Colours
" for the 1983 Nagisa Oshima
film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
.
Sylvian's debut solo album, Brilliant Trees
(1984), met with critical acclaim. The album included contributions from Ryuichi Sakamoto
, trumpeter Jon Hassell
, and former Can
bassist Holger Czukay
. It featured the UK Top 20 single Red Guitar.
In 1985, Sylvian released an instrumental mini-album Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities
, in collaboration with Jansen, Hassell and Czukay, a recording that, when re-released in 2003, included the addition of Sylvian's Steel Cathedrals, the soundtrack to his video release of the same name.
The next release was the ambitious two-record set Gone to Earth (1986), which further flouted conventional and commercial wisdom by featuring one record of atmospheric vocal tracks and a second record consisting of ambient instrumentals. The album contained significant contributions from noted guitarists Bill Nelson
of Be-Bop Deluxe and Robert Fripp
of King Crimson
.
Secrets of the Beehive
(1987) made greater use of acoustic instruments and was musically oriented towards sombre, emotive ballads laced with shimmering string arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto
and Brian Gascoigne. The album yielded one of Sylvian's most well-received songs, "Orpheus", and was later supported by his first solo tour, 1988's 'In Praise of Shamans.'
Never one to conform to commercial expectations, Sylvian then collaborated with Holger Czukay. Plight and Premonition
, issued in 1988, and Flux and Mutability
, recorded and released the following year, also included contributions from Can members Jaki Liebezeit
and Michael Karoli
.
Virgin decided to close out the 1980s with the release of Weatherbox
, an elaborate boxed-set compilation consisting of Sylvian's four previous solo albums.
In 1990, Sylvian collaborated with artists Russell Mills
and Ian Walton on the elaborate multi-media installation using sculpture, sound and light titled Ember Glance – The Permanence of Memory. The exhibition was staged at the temporary museum 'Space FGO-Soko' on Tokyo Bay, Shinagawa, Tokyo
.
Ingrid Chavez
, an artist signed to Prince
's Paisley Park Records
, sent Sylvian a copy of her first album. He liked what he heard and thought her voice would fit well with some material that both Ryuichi Sakamoto
and he were working on for a new Sakamoto release. Chavez and Sylvian quickly developed a bond and decided to travel together throughout the UK and the US, where they eventually settled after marrying in 1992 (they divorced twelve years later).
invited Sylvian to join a new version of progressive rock stalwarts King Crimson
. Sylvian declined the invitation, but he and Fripp recorded the album The First Day released in July 1993. Something of a departure for Sylvian, the album
melded Sylvian's philosophical lyrics to funk workouts and aggressive rock stylings very much in the mould of Fripp's King Crimson. To capitalise on the album's success, the musicians went back out on the road in the autumn of 1993. A live recording, called Damage
and released in 1994, was culled from the final shows of the tour.
Sylvian and Fripp's final collaboration was the installation Redemption – Approaching Silence. The exhibition was held at the P3 Art and Environment centre in Shinjuku, Tokyo
, and ran from 30 August to 18 September 1994. The accompanying music was composed by Sylvian, with text written and recited by Fripp.
In the late summer of 1995, Sylvian undertook a one-man solo tour which he called 'Slow Fire – A Personal Retrospective'.
A period of relative musical inactivity followed, during which Sylvian and Ingrid Chavez
moved from Minnesota
to the Napa Valley. Chavez had given birth to two daughters, Ameera-Daya (born 1993) and Isobel (born 1997), and pursued her interest in photography and music. Sylvian and Chavez are now divorced.
, his first solo album proper since Secrets of the Beehive
twelve years earlier. The disc gathered together the most eclectic influences of all his recordings, ranging from soul music to jazz fusion to blues to Eastern-inflected spiritual chants, and most of the songs' lyrics reflected the now 41-year-old Sylvian's inner peace resulting from his marriage, family, and beliefs. Guest musicians included long-time friend Ryuichi Sakamoto, classically-trained tabla
player Talvin Singh
, avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot
, jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler
, and contemporary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell
. In 2010 Sylvian said, "Since the early ’80s I’ve been interested in deconstructing the familiar forms of popular song, in retaining the structure but removing the pillars of support. My work continually returns to this question: how much of the framework can you remove while still being able to identify what is, after all, a familiar form?"
Following Dead Bees, Sylvian released a pair of compilation albums through Virgin, a two-disc retrospective, Everything and Nothing
, and an instrumental collection, Camphor
. Both albums contained previously released material, some remixes, and several new or previously unreleased tracks which Sylvian finished especially for the projects.
Sylvian parted ways with Virgin and launched his own independent label, Samadhi Sound
. He released the album Blemish
. A fusion of styles, including jazz and electronica, the tour enabled Sylvian to perform music from the Nine Horses
project, as well as various selections from his back catalogue. Blemish included contributions from Christian Fennesz
and Derek Bailey. Sylvian used a different approach with this album. He has said about his process, "With Blemish I started each day in the studio with a very simple improvisation on guitar. Once recorded, I’d listen back and use cues from the improv—the dynamic and so on—to dictate the structure of the piece. I’d write lyrics and melody on the spot, and would follow that up with the recording of the vocal itself."
A new solo album entitled Manafon
was released on 14 September 2009 in two editions – a regular CD/digipak edition and a twin boxset deluxe edition with two books that include the CD and a DVD featuring the film 'Amplified Gesture'. Manafon features contributions from leading figures in electroacoustic improvisation
such as saxophonist Evan Parker
, multi-instrumentalist Otomo Yoshihide, laptop + guitarist Christian Fennesz
, Polwechsel
's double bassist Werner Dafeldecker and cellist Michael Moser, sinewaves specialist Sachiko M
and AMM
alumni guitarist Keith Rowe
, percussionist Eddie Prévost
and pianist John Tilbury
. In 2010 talked about Manafon, and said:
In 2010 Sylvian released a compilation disc of his collaborative works with musicians over the last 10 years – Sleepwalkers includes songs with Ryuichi Sakamoto
, Tweaker, Nine Horses
, Steve Jansen
, Christian Fennesz
and Arve Henriksen
. Also included are a few new songs such as Sleepwalkers which is co-written with drummer Martin Brandlmayr
of Radian
and Polwechsel
.
In 2011, the double disc Died in the Wool was released as variations on the 2009 release Manafon
. With the addition of 6 new pieces, including collaborations with acclaimed composer Dai Fujikura
, producers Jan Bang and Erik Honoré and a stellar roster of contemporary musicians and improvisers. For the first time, a stereo mix of the audio installation “when we return you won’t recognise us” is available on CD. "when we return you won't recognise us" pairs a group of star improvisers—John Butcher
, Arve Henriksen
, Günter Müller
, Toshimaru Nakamura
, and Eddie Prévost
—with a string sextet directed by Fujikura.
Solo albums
Collaborations
Compilations
Remixes
Live albums
Contributions
This is an incomplete list.
Japan (band)
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
. His subsequent solo work is described by critic Jason Ankeny as "a far-ranging and esoteric career that encompassed not only solo projects but also a series of fascinating collaborative efforts." Sylvian's solo work has been influenced by a variety of musical styles and genres, including jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, avant-garde
Avant-garde music
Avant-garde music is a term used to characterize music which is thought to be ahead of its time, i.e. containing innovative elements or fusing different genres....
, ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, and progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
.
Early years
Sylvian was born in BeckenhamBeckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, Kent, the son of a plasterer and a housewife. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London leaving at 16. As a youth, he listened to glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
artists such as David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
.
1970s-Early 1980s: Japan
The band JapanJapan (band)
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
, whose other members included bassist Mick Karn
Mick Karn
Andonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
, guitarist Rob Dean
Rob Dean
Rob Dean is a British musician, who rose to prominence playing guitar as a member of the British band Japan.-Biography:He is from Clapton, Hackney, London, England.-Japan:...
, keyboardist Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri, is an English synthesiser player, keyboardist and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London...
and Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
as drummer, began as a group of friends. As youngsters they played music as a means of escape, playing Sylvian's two-chord numbers – sometimes with Karn as the front man, sometimes with Sylvian at the fore.
They christened themselves Japan in 1974, signed a recording contract with Hansa
Hansa Records
Hansa Records was a record label founded in the 1960s based in Berlin, Germany....
, and became an alternative glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
outfit in the mould of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, T.Rex, and The New York Dolls. Over a period of a few years their music became more sophisticated, drawing initially on the art rock
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
stylings of Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
. Their visual image also evolved and the band was tagged with the New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
label. Indeed, it could be argued that Japan was at the forefront of the entire New Romantic movement, even though the band never associated itself with it. Noting their distinction from the New Romantics, Sylvian stated: "I don't like to be associated with them. The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said: "For them [New Romantics], fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."
Japan recorded five studio albums between March 1978 and November 1981. In 1980, the band signed with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, where Sylvian remained as a recording artist for the next twenty years.
The band suffered from personal and creative clashes, particularly between Sylvian and Karn, with tensions springing from Sylvian's relationship with Yuka Fujii, a photographer, artist and designer, and Karn's former girlfriend. Fujii quickly became an influential figure in Sylvian's life. She was the first person to introduce Sylvian seriously to jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, which in turn inspired him to follow musical avenues not otherwise open to him. She also encouraged Sylvian to incorporate spiritual discipline into his daily routine. Throughout his solo career, Fujii maintained a large role in the design of artwork for his albums.
1980s–1990s: Solo career
In 1982, Sylvian released his first collaborative effort with Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
, entitled "Bamboo Houses/Bamboo Music
Bamboo Houses
"Bamboo Houses" is a song by Japanese musician-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and English singer-songwriter David Sylvian, released on Virgin Records in 1982....
". He also worked with Sakamoto on the UK Top 20 song "Forbidden Colours
Forbidden Colours
"Forbidden Colours" is a song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto with lyrics by David Sylvian. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and was first released on the soundtrack album...
" for the 1983 Nagisa Oshima
Nagisa Oshima
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. After graduating from Kyoto University he was hired by Shochiku Ltd. and quickly progressed to directing his own movies, making his debut feature A Town of Love and Hope in 1959....
film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a 1983 film directed by Nagisa Oshima, produced by Jeremy Thomas and starring Jack Thompson, David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yuya Uchida, and Takeshi Kitano.It was written by Oshima and Paul Mayersberg and based on Laurens van der Post's experiences...
.
Sylvian's debut solo album, Brilliant Trees
Brilliant Trees
Brilliant Trees is the debut solo album by British singer/songwriter David Sylvian, released in 1984.-History:Produced by Sylvian with Steve Nye, it was his first full length release after the break-up of his band Japan in late 1982. The album peaked at no.4 in the UK, the highest chart position of...
(1984), met with critical acclaim. The album included contributions from Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
, trumpeter Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell
Jon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
, and former Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
bassist Holger Czukay
Holger Czukay
Holger Czukay is a German musician, probably best known as a co-founder of the krautrock group Can. Described by critic Jason Ankeny as "successfully bridg[ing] the gap between pop and the avant-garde," Czukay is also notable for creating early important examples of ambient music, for exploring...
. It featured the UK Top 20 single Red Guitar.
In 1985, Sylvian released an instrumental mini-album Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities
Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities
Alchemy - An Index of Possibilities is David Sylvian's second solo album, released in 1985 on cassette only and produced by Sylvian and Nigel Walker...
, in collaboration with Jansen, Hassell and Czukay, a recording that, when re-released in 2003, included the addition of Sylvian's Steel Cathedrals, the soundtrack to his video release of the same name.
The next release was the ambitious two-record set Gone to Earth (1986), which further flouted conventional and commercial wisdom by featuring one record of atmospheric vocal tracks and a second record consisting of ambient instrumentals. The album contained significant contributions from noted guitarists Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson (musician)
Bill Nelson is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, painter and experimental musician...
of Be-Bop Deluxe and Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
of King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
.
Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth solo album by David Sylvian and was released in 1987. Produced by Steve Nye and David Sylvian, the album features Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Torn, Mark Isham and Steve Jansen among others.-Track listing:...
(1987) made greater use of acoustic instruments and was musically oriented towards sombre, emotive ballads laced with shimmering string arrangements by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
and Brian Gascoigne. The album yielded one of Sylvian's most well-received songs, "Orpheus", and was later supported by his first solo tour, 1988's 'In Praise of Shamans.'
Never one to conform to commercial expectations, Sylvian then collaborated with Holger Czukay. Plight and Premonition
Plight and Premonition
Plight & Premonition is the first of two collaborations between David Sylvian and Holger Czukay, Flux and Mutability being their second. It was released in March 1988. The music is ambient, makes use of 'found sounds'...
, issued in 1988, and Flux and Mutability
Flux and Mutability
Flux and Mutability is the second collaboration between David Sylvian and Holger Czukay. It was released in September 1989...
, recorded and released the following year, also included contributions from Can members Jaki Liebezeit
Jaki Liebezeit
Jaki Liebezeit is a drummer probably best known as a founding member of Can who has been called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral"....
and Michael Karoli
Michael Karoli
Michael Karoli was a German guitarist, violinist and composer. He was a founding member of the influential krautrock band Can....
.
Virgin decided to close out the 1980s with the release of Weatherbox
Weatherbox (album)
Weatherbox is a five-CD limited-edition box set by David Sylvian. Only 5000 copies were produced in 1989 and they quickly sold out. A Japanese version was also produced. The set comprises Sylvian's first four albums: Brilliant Trees, Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities, Gone to Earth and Secrets of...
, an elaborate boxed-set compilation consisting of Sylvian's four previous solo albums.
In 1990, Sylvian collaborated with artists Russell Mills
Russell Mills (artist)
Russell Mills is a British artist who was born in Ripon, Yorkshire, UK in 1952. He paints, creates multimedia installations, designs stage sets and lighting and has produced record covers and book covers for Brian Eno, the Cocteau Twins,Michael Nyman, David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel, and Nine Inch...
and Ian Walton on the elaborate multi-media installation using sculpture, sound and light titled Ember Glance – The Permanence of Memory. The exhibition was staged at the temporary museum 'Space FGO-Soko' on Tokyo Bay, Shinagawa, Tokyo
Shinagawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
.
1990s: Rain Tree Crow
Also in 1990, Sylvian reunited with the former members of Japan for a new project. Unlike their past work, Sylvian decided to use methods of improvisation like those he explored in his work with Holger Czukay.Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Julia Chavez is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer.-Personal life:Chavez was born January 21, 1965 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and raised in Marietta, Georgia...
, an artist signed to Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's Paisley Park Records
Paisley Park Records
Paisley Park Records was Prince's record label, associated with and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album Purple Rain...
, sent Sylvian a copy of her first album. He liked what he heard and thought her voice would fit well with some material that both Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
and he were working on for a new Sakamoto release. Chavez and Sylvian quickly developed a bond and decided to travel together throughout the UK and the US, where they eventually settled after marrying in 1992 (they divorced twelve years later).
1993: With Robert Fripp
In the early 1990s, guitarist Robert FrippRobert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
invited Sylvian to join a new version of progressive rock stalwarts King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
. Sylvian declined the invitation, but he and Fripp recorded the album The First Day released in July 1993. Something of a departure for Sylvian, the album
melded Sylvian's philosophical lyrics to funk workouts and aggressive rock stylings very much in the mould of Fripp's King Crimson. To capitalise on the album's success, the musicians went back out on the road in the autumn of 1993. A live recording, called Damage
Damage: Live
Damage is a live recording of a 1993 tour by David Sylvian and Robert Fripp. It is taken from the final show of the tour.This album, originally mixed by Fripp, was first released in 1994 as a limited edition box set: a 24-carat gold CD and 32-page colour booklet in a jewel box inside a cardboard...
and released in 1994, was culled from the final shows of the tour.
Sylvian and Fripp's final collaboration was the installation Redemption – Approaching Silence. The exhibition was held at the P3 Art and Environment centre in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Shinjuku, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population...
, and ran from 30 August to 18 September 1994. The accompanying music was composed by Sylvian, with text written and recited by Fripp.
In the late summer of 1995, Sylvian undertook a one-man solo tour which he called 'Slow Fire – A Personal Retrospective'.
A period of relative musical inactivity followed, during which Sylvian and Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Chavez
Ingrid Julia Chavez is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer.-Personal life:Chavez was born January 21, 1965 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, and raised in Marietta, Georgia...
moved from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
to the Napa Valley. Chavez had given birth to two daughters, Ameera-Daya (born 1993) and Isobel (born 1997), and pursued her interest in photography and music. Sylvian and Chavez are now divorced.
2000s: Recent work
In 1999, Sylvian released Dead Bees on a CakeDead Bees on a Cake
Dead Bees on a Cake is the fifth solo album by David Sylvian, released in March 1999.-Track listing:All songs written by Sylvian, except where noted.#"I Surrender" – 9:24#"Dobro #1" – 1:30...
, his first solo album proper since Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth solo album by David Sylvian and was released in 1987. Produced by Steve Nye and David Sylvian, the album features Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Torn, Mark Isham and Steve Jansen among others.-Track listing:...
twelve years earlier. The disc gathered together the most eclectic influences of all his recordings, ranging from soul music to jazz fusion to blues to Eastern-inflected spiritual chants, and most of the songs' lyrics reflected the now 41-year-old Sylvian's inner peace resulting from his marriage, family, and beliefs. Guest musicians included long-time friend Ryuichi Sakamoto, classically-trained tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
, avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn.-Biography:Ribot was...
, jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler
Kenny Wheeler
Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
, and contemporary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell
Bill Frisell
William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
. In 2010 Sylvian said, "Since the early ’80s I’ve been interested in deconstructing the familiar forms of popular song, in retaining the structure but removing the pillars of support. My work continually returns to this question: how much of the framework can you remove while still being able to identify what is, after all, a familiar form?"
Following Dead Bees, Sylvian released a pair of compilation albums through Virgin, a two-disc retrospective, Everything and Nothing
Everything and Nothing
Everything and Nothing is a compilation album by David Sylvian. Released in October 2000, the album touches on music from Sylvian's twenty years with Virgin Records.It was released in two versions...
, and an instrumental collection, Camphor
Camphor (album)
Camphor is a David Sylvian compilation album released in 2002 as a companion to Everything and Nothing. The focus is on his instrumental work...
. Both albums contained previously released material, some remixes, and several new or previously unreleased tracks which Sylvian finished especially for the projects.
Sylvian parted ways with Virgin and launched his own independent label, Samadhi Sound
Samadhi Sound
Samadhi Sound is an independent record label founded by singer and musician David Sylvian after his departure from Virgin Records in the late nineties....
. He released the album Blemish
Blemish (album)
Blemish is the sixth solo album by David Sylvian. It is experimental in its use of electronics and sound. It features Derek Bailey, an avant-garde guitarist, and Fennesz, a guitarist and electronic music musician...
. A fusion of styles, including jazz and electronica, the tour enabled Sylvian to perform music from the Nine Horses
Nine Horses
Nine Horses is a musical collaboration between singer/instrumentalist David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator drummer Steve Jansen, and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman....
project, as well as various selections from his back catalogue. Blemish included contributions from Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz is an Austrian guitarist active in electronic music, often credited on albums simply as Fennesz....
and Derek Bailey. Sylvian used a different approach with this album. He has said about his process, "With Blemish I started each day in the studio with a very simple improvisation on guitar. Once recorded, I’d listen back and use cues from the improv—the dynamic and so on—to dictate the structure of the piece. I’d write lyrics and melody on the spot, and would follow that up with the recording of the vocal itself."
A new solo album entitled Manafon
Manafon (album)
Manafon is a 2009 album by David Sylvian. It is an avant-garde work combining elements of free improvisation, experimental rock and chamber music. It reached rank #6 in the The Wires list of best 2009 albums.- Production :...
was released on 14 September 2009 in two editions – a regular CD/digipak edition and a twin boxset deluxe edition with two books that include the CD and a DVD featuring the film 'Amplified Gesture'. Manafon features contributions from leading figures in electroacoustic improvisation
Electroacoustic improvisation
Electroacoustic improvisation is a style of music that incorporates aspects of both electroacoustic music and free improvisation.-Origins:Live electronics has been part of the sound art world since the 1930s with the early works of John Cage...
such as saxophonist Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
, multi-instrumentalist Otomo Yoshihide, laptop + guitarist Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz is an Austrian guitarist active in electronic music, often credited on albums simply as Fennesz....
, Polwechsel
Polwechsel
Polwechsel is a musical group founded in Vienna, Austria in 1993.Their music has mostly straddled a line between contemporary music and free improvisation, and is characterized by quiet volume, sustained drones, and slowly-developing structures....
's double bassist Werner Dafeldecker and cellist Michael Moser, sinewaves specialist Sachiko M
Sachiko M
Sachiko Matsubara, who usually records as Sachiko M, is a Japanese musician, but she considers herself to be a "non-musician".She was a member of Otomo Yoshihide's Ground Zero from 1994 to 1997, where she used a sampler. More recently, she has concentrated on music made from sine waves...
and AMM
AMM (group)
AMM are an important British free improvisation group, founded in London, England in 1965.AMM have never been well known to the general public, but have been incredibly influential on the field of improvised music...
alumni guitarist Keith Rowe
Keith Rowe
Keith Rowe is an English free improvisation tabletop guitarist and painter. Rowe is a founding member of both the hugely influential AMM in the mid-1960s and M.I.M.E.O. Having trained as a visual artist, Rowe's paintings have been featured on most of his own albums...
, percussionist Eddie Prévost
Eddie Prévost
Edwin Prévost is an English drummer and percussionist.Prévost began as a jazz drummer before branching out into entirely improvised music. He was a co-founder of the group AMM, and remains its only constant member...
and pianist John Tilbury
John Tilbury
John Tilbury is a British pianist. He is considered one of the foremost interpreters of Morton Feldman's music, and since 1980 has been a member of the free improvisation group AMM.- Early life and education :...
. In 2010 talked about Manafon, and said:
"What happened with Manafon was that the work abandoned me. As I was writing and developing the material, the spirit holding all these disparate elements together just left me. I sat stunned for a moment and then realised: It’s over; this is as far as it goes…In a sense, I’d been steadily working my way toward Manafon since I was a young man listening to Stockhausen and dabbling in deconstructing the pop song. Having said that, I don’t think we only develop as artists practising in our chosen fields. For me that meant an exploration of intuitive states via meditation and other related disciplines which, the more I witnessed free-improv players at work, appeared to be crucially important to enable a being there in the moment, a sustained alertness and receptivity."
In 2010 Sylvian released a compilation disc of his collaborative works with musicians over the last 10 years – Sleepwalkers includes songs with Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
, Tweaker, Nine Horses
Nine Horses
Nine Horses is a musical collaboration between singer/instrumentalist David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator drummer Steve Jansen, and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman....
, Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
, Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz
Christian Fennesz is an Austrian guitarist active in electronic music, often credited on albums simply as Fennesz....
and Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen is a Norwegian trumpet player, renowned for his distinctive, flute-like sound on the trumpet, inspired by the sound of the Japanese shakuhachi flute. He also sings; his unique wordless vocalising was central to Chiaroscuro, where he often sings in a soprano's range...
. Also included are a few new songs such as Sleepwalkers which is co-written with drummer Martin Brandlmayr
Martin Brandlmayr
Martin Brandlmayr is an Austrian percussionist, drummer, composer and electronic artist.He is widely recognized for his work in a variety of so-called "post-rock" bands, namely Radian, Trapist, and Autistic Daughters, among others...
of Radian
Radian (band)
Radian is an Austrian experimental music group.Their music touches on instrumental rock, post-rock, jazz and electronica, and is notable for imitating some of the more demanding musical structures of intelligent dance music....
and Polwechsel
Polwechsel
Polwechsel is a musical group founded in Vienna, Austria in 1993.Their music has mostly straddled a line between contemporary music and free improvisation, and is characterized by quiet volume, sustained drones, and slowly-developing structures....
.
In 2011, the double disc Died in the Wool was released as variations on the 2009 release Manafon
Manafon (album)
Manafon is a 2009 album by David Sylvian. It is an avant-garde work combining elements of free improvisation, experimental rock and chamber music. It reached rank #6 in the The Wires list of best 2009 albums.- Production :...
. With the addition of 6 new pieces, including collaborations with acclaimed composer Dai Fujikura
Dai Fujikura
is a Japanese composer of contemporary classical music.-Biography:Dai Fujikura left home in Osaka at 15 and went to study at Dover College in the UK, his adopted home. His initial ambition was to compose music for cinema...
, producers Jan Bang and Erik Honoré and a stellar roster of contemporary musicians and improvisers. For the first time, a stereo mix of the audio installation “when we return you won’t recognise us” is available on CD. "when we return you won't recognise us" pairs a group of star improvisers—John Butcher
John Butcher (musician)
John Butcher is an English tenor and soprano saxophone player who has lived in London since the late 1970s. He began playing at the University of Surrey where he was studying physics...
, Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen
Arve Henriksen is a Norwegian trumpet player, renowned for his distinctive, flute-like sound on the trumpet, inspired by the sound of the Japanese shakuhachi flute. He also sings; his unique wordless vocalising was central to Chiaroscuro, where he often sings in a soprano's range...
, Günter Müller
Günter Müller
Günter Müller is an Swiss composer, improviser and visual artist based in Lupsingen, Switzerland.Günter Müller is a German sound artist that originally performed as a percussionist and drummer active primarily in free improvisation....
, Toshimaru Nakamura
Toshimaru Nakamura
Toshimaru Nakamura is a Japanese musician, active in free improvisation and Japanese onkyo.He began his career playing rock and roll guitar, but gradually explored other types of music, even abandoning guitar and started working on circuit bending...
, and Eddie Prévost
Eddie Prévost
Edwin Prévost is an English drummer and percussionist.Prévost began as a jazz drummer before branching out into entirely improvised music. He was a co-founder of the group AMM, and remains its only constant member...
—with a string sextet directed by Fujikura.
Discography
Japan- Adolescent SexAdolescent SexAdolescent Sex was the first album from the British glam rock/new romantic group Japan, released in March 1978. To avoid controversy over the title, the album was renamed Japan in some countries...
(1978) - Obscure AlternativesObscure AlternativesObscure Alternatives is the second album by English band Japan, released in October 1978, the follow-up to their debut album Adolescent Sex from seven months earlier. Lead singer David Sylvian has gone on record saying that this should have been their debut album...
(1978) - Quiet LifeQuiet LifeQuiet Life is the third album by the British band Japan, released firstly in Japan, Germany, Canada and other countries in December 1979, then in the UK in January 1980...
(1979) - Gentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take PolaroidsGentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the British band Japan. Released in November 1980, it was the band's first album for the Virgin Records label...
(1980) - Tin DrumTin DrumTin Drum is the fifth and final studio album produced by the British band Japan. Released in the U.K. in November 1981, the album continued their now developed use of electronic elements coupled with traditional instrumentation, but leans far more towards far-eastern influences than any of their...
(1981) - Rain Tree CrowRain Tree CrowRain Tree Crow was the name used by the English New Wave band Japan when they briefly reformed for this one-off project, which would be their final album...
same line-up as JapanJapan (band)Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
(1991)
Solo albums
- Brilliant TreesBrilliant TreesBrilliant Trees is the debut solo album by British singer/songwriter David Sylvian, released in 1984.-History:Produced by Sylvian with Steve Nye, it was his first full length release after the break-up of his band Japan in late 1982. The album peaked at no.4 in the UK, the highest chart position of...
(1984) - Alchemy: An Index of PossibilitiesAlchemy: An Index of PossibilitiesAlchemy - An Index of Possibilities is David Sylvian's second solo album, released in 1985 on cassette only and produced by Sylvian and Nigel Walker...
(1985) - Gone to Earth (1986)
- Secrets of the BeehiveSecrets of the BeehiveSecrets of the Beehive is the fourth solo album by David Sylvian and was released in 1987. Produced by Steve Nye and David Sylvian, the album features Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Torn, Mark Isham and Steve Jansen among others.-Track listing:...
(1987) - Dead Bees on a CakeDead Bees on a CakeDead Bees on a Cake is the fifth solo album by David Sylvian, released in March 1999.-Track listing:All songs written by Sylvian, except where noted.#"I Surrender" – 9:24#"Dobro #1" – 1:30...
(1999) - BlemishBlemish (album)Blemish is the sixth solo album by David Sylvian. It is experimental in its use of electronics and sound. It features Derek Bailey, an avant-garde guitarist, and Fennesz, a guitarist and electronic music musician...
(2003) - When Loud Weather Buffeted NaoshimaWhen Loud Weather Buffeted NaoshimaWhen Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima is a limited edition CD that was commissioned as an installation piece by the Naoshima Fukutake Art Museum Foundation on the island of Naoshima, Japan, as part of the "NAOSHIMA STANDARD 2" exhibition which ran from October 2006 to April 2007...
(2007) - ManafonManafon (album)Manafon is a 2009 album by David Sylvian. It is an avant-garde work combining elements of free improvisation, experimental rock and chamber music. It reached rank #6 in the The Wires list of best 2009 albums.- Production :...
(2009)
Collaborations
- Plight & PremonitionPlight and PremonitionPlight & Premonition is the first of two collaborations between David Sylvian and Holger Czukay, Flux and Mutability being their second. It was released in March 1988. The music is ambient, makes use of 'found sounds'...
(1988) - Flux and MutabilityFlux and MutabilityFlux and Mutability is the second collaboration between David Sylvian and Holger Czukay. It was released in September 1989...
(1989) - Ember Glance: The Permanence of MemoryEmber Glance: The Permanence of MemoryEmber Glance: The Permanence of Memory is effectively the soundtrack of a collaboration between David Sylvian and Russell Mills.The pieces were written to accompany an installation of sculpture and experimental exhibitions, conceived and produced by national and international artists at the...
(1991) - The First Day (1993)
- Darshan (The Road To Graceland)Darshan (The Road To Graceland)Darshan is the second of three collaborations between David Sylvian and Robert Fripp, but actually is more a remix album since the first two tracks are remixes of the original song "Darshan". It was released on 6 December 1993. Except 2 written by David Sylvian, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, David...
(1993) - World CitizenWorld Citizen (album)World Citizen is an EP by Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian. It was released in 2003 in Japan, and in 2004 in UK. The two editions have different track lists and different covers...
(EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
) (2003) - Snow Borne SorrowSnow Borne SorrowSnow Borne Sorrow is an album by Nine Horses, released in October 2005. Nine Horses is a collaboration between David Sylvian, Steve Jansen and Burnt Friedman...
as Nine HorsesNine HorsesNine Horses is a musical collaboration between singer/instrumentalist David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator drummer Steve Jansen, and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman....
(2005) - Money for AllMoney for AllMoney for All is a 2007 release by the band Nine Horses, featuring David Sylvian, Steve Jansen and Burnt Friedman. The album includes three new songs: "Money for All," "Get the Hell Out," and "Birds Sing for Their Lives." The others are remixes....
as Nine HorsesNine HorsesNine Horses is a musical collaboration between singer/instrumentalist David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator drummer Steve Jansen, and electronic composer/remixer Burnt Friedman....
(2007) - Died in the Wool (UK chart peak: #147) (2011)
Compilations
- WeatherboxWeatherbox (album)Weatherbox is a five-CD limited-edition box set by David Sylvian. Only 5000 copies were produced in 1989 and they quickly sold out. A Japanese version was also produced. The set comprises Sylvian's first four albums: Brilliant Trees, Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities, Gone to Earth and Secrets of...
(1989) - Approaching SilenceApproaching SilenceApproaching Silence is a compilation album of ambient music by David Sylvian collecting the tracks from the 1991 limited release Ember Glance: The Permanence of Memory installation soundtrack CD as well as the soundtrack cassette from the installation "Redemption" , staged in August 1994 at the P3...
(1999) - Everything and NothingEverything and NothingEverything and Nothing is a compilation album by David Sylvian. Released in October 2000, the album touches on music from Sylvian's twenty years with Virgin Records.It was released in two versions...
(2000) - CamphorCamphor (album)Camphor is a David Sylvian compilation album released in 2002 as a companion to Everything and Nothing. The focus is on his instrumental work...
(2002) - Sleepwalkers (2010)
Remixes
- The Good Son vs. The Only DaughterThe Good Son vs. The Only DaughterThe Good Son vs. The Only Daughter is a remix album by David Sylvian featuring his previous album Blemish. Despite the title, actually not all the pieces have been remixed; some songs have been re-recorded with new musicians....
(2003)
Live albums
- Damage: LiveDamage: LiveDamage is a live recording of a 1993 tour by David Sylvian and Robert Fripp. It is taken from the final show of the tour.This album, originally mixed by Fripp, was first released in 1994 as a limited edition box set: a 24-carat gold CD and 32-page colour booklet in a jewel box inside a cardboard...
(1994)
Contributions
This is an incomplete list.
- "Good Night" on Ai Ga Nakucha Ne by Akiko Yano (1982)
- "Forbidden ColoursForbidden Colours"Forbidden Colours" is a song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto with lyrics by David Sylvian. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and was first released on the soundtrack album...
" on Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1983) - "Some Small Hope" on Hope In A Darkened Heart by Virginia Astley (1986)
- "Buoy" and "When Love Walks In" on Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters by Mick Karn (1987)
- "Heartbeat (Returning To The Womb)" and "Cloud #9" on Heartbeat by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1991)
- "To A Reason" and "Victim Of Stars" on Sahara Blue by Hector Zazou (1992)
- "Come Morning", "The Golden Way" and "Maya" on Marco Polo by Nicola Alesini & Pier Luigi Andreoni (1995)
- "Ti Ho Aspettato (I Have Waited For You)" on L'Albero Pazzo by Andrea Chimenti (1995)
- "How Safe Is Deep?" on Undark:Strange Familiar by Russell Mills (1996)
- "Salvation" on Discord by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1998)
- "Rooms Of Sixteen Shimmers" on Pearl And Umbra by Russell Mills (1999)
- "Forbidden Colours" on Cinemage by Ryuichi Sakamoto (2000)
- "Zero Landmine" on Zero Landmine by No More Landmine featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto and Various Artists (2001)
- "Sugarfuel" on Bold by Readymade FC (2001)
- "Linoleum" on The Attraction to All Things UncertainThe Attraction to All Things Uncertain-Personnel:All songs written by Chris Vrenna except "Linoleum" written by Chris Vrenna & David Sylvian, "Swamp" written by Chris Vrenna & Buzz Osborne, "Happy Child" written by Chris Vrenna & Will Oldham, "Take Me Alive" written by Chris Vrenna & Craig Wedren and "After All" written by Chris Vrenna...
by Tweaker (2001) - "World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed)" on Chasm by Ryuichi Sakamoto (2004)
- "Transit" on Venice by Fennesz (2004)
- "Pure Genius" on 2 a.m. Wakeup Call2 a.m. Wakeup Call-Personnel:*Chris Vrenna: producer and performer*Clint Walsh: producer and performer*Jeff Antebi: executive producer*Johnny Marr: guitar on track 11*Paul Ill: bass on track 3; fretless bass on track 12*Rick Mouser: additional live drums on tracks 1 and 10...
by Tweaker (2004) - "Late Night Shopping (remix)" by Fennesz (2004)
- "Exit/Delete" on Coieda by Takagi Masakatsu (2004)
- "Messenger" on Equus by Blonde RedheadBlonde RedheadBlonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace , which formed in New York City in 1993....
(2004) - "For The Love Of Life (Ending Theme Full Version)" on "MonsterMonster (manga)is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa, published by Shogakukan in Big Comic Original between 1994 and 2001, and reprinted in 18 tankōbon volumes. It was adapted by Madhouse as a 74-episode anime TV series, which aired on NTV from April 7, 2004 to September 28, 2005...
– Original Soundtrack" (2004) - "The Librarian" on Out In The Sticks by Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit (2005)
- "A Fire In The Forest" (Remix) on Babilonia by Readymade FC (2005)
- "Angels" on Crime Scenes by Punkt (2006)
- "Playground Martyrs" and "Ballad Of A Deadman" on Slope by Steve Jansen (2007)
- "Honor Wishes" and "No Question" on To SurviveTo SurviveTo Survive is the second album by Joan as Police Woman. It was released on June 9, 2008, and made available on CD, LP and digital download....
by Joan As Police Woman (2008) - "Before And Afterlife" and "Thermal" on Cartography by Arve HenriksenArve HenriksenArve Henriksen is a Norwegian trumpet player, renowned for his distinctive, flute-like sound on the trumpet, inspired by the sound of the Japanese shakuhachi flute. He also sings; his unique wordless vocalising was central to Chiaroscuro, where he often sings in a soprano's range...
(2008) - "Jacqueline" on The Believer -The 2009 Music Issue- (2009)
- "Modern Interior" at kizunaworld.org – David Sylvian & Jan Bang (2011)
External links
- David Sylvian.com – The official David Sylvian website.
- Manafon – The micro website of 2009's LP Manafon
- Died In The Wool – The micro website of 2011's double disc Died In The Wool / Manafon Variations