DAVID SYLVIAN

I have to admit that this first acquaintance with David Sylvian's music was a very impressive and unexpected one. A mixture of ambient/electronic music with funk, jazz and prog elements sounded rather amusing to my ears. The range of influences is equally impressive; from Chris Rea to Dead Can Dance and King Crimson, Brilliant Trees prepares the listener for a fascinating listen.

The album kicks off with a relatively 'lively' composition; Pulling Punches is a pretty funky introduction with dynamic slam bass lines and an 80's poppy feeling (presumably something that is brought over from Japan years). On this funky background of complex mid-tempo drumming (or should I say 'programming') and fashionable synths, Sylvian sings in a rather dark and melancholic way, giving a distinct touch to the track. Short guitar and sax-sounding solos fit brilliantly to this - happy and sad at the same time - interesting opening.

The following two compositions are probably the highlights of the album. Slow, acoustic guitars are dominant throughout The Ink in the Well while Sylvian's vocals are fit-for-purpose in this moody ballad. The track's refrain melodies are beautifully performed and the bits of trumpet and tuned-down bass bring a sad, bluesy feeling to the composition. Nostalgia opens with oriental vocals and a deep, ambient atmosphere takes on from there. Experimentation with percussion and sounds is abundant, while the track flows in a completely relaxed mood with the deepest vocals on the album. A few jazz sax touches mix adequately with this electronic/ambient background. Although the melodies are simple, they create an indeed nostalgic atmosphere.

The 80's synth-pop influences return in Red Guitar. However, this time the major tunes are played by jazz-driven joyful pianos. The King Crimson influences appear vivid in the bass lines. The vocals continue to be moody, approaching electronic patterns and slightly reminding of Dead Can Dance. Weathered Wall is far more ambient/electronic in a relaxed way, flowing similarly to Nostalgia but without these inspired melodies. More bizarre arrangements can be expected in Backwaters with the bass being the dominant instrument, balancing on dark jazz harmonies, but the track proceeds relatively repetitively and becomes uninteresting after the first few minutes. The title track consists of the lyrical vocals of Sylvian, sung on a melodic keyboard/trumpet background, while tribal percussion gives an experimentation character after the first half of the track.

Although being instantly impressed after the first few listens, the rather simplistic melodies of the album made me think again. However, Brilliant Trees undoubtedly maintains a strong ambient character that can make this record an intriguing experience. The first half of the record sounds far more interesting while prog fans with an affection to dark/ambient/experimental music might discover a gem here. Not necessarily essential, these trees sound quite brilliant and deserve 3.5 stars...

Approaching Silence is the ninth full-length studio album by UK experimental rock artist David Sylvian. The album is in a totally different musical style compared to the Dead Bees On a Cake album which was released earlier the same year. Approaching Silence features three ambient experimental tracks. Sound collages if you will. The Beekeeper's Apprentice and Epiphany was recorded in 1990 and are taken from the 1991 multi-media installation soundtrack Ember Glance: The Permanence of Memory while the third track Approaching Silence was recorded in 1994 for the 1994 multi-media installation Redemption - Approaching Silence in collaboration with Robert Fripp. This is the first time Approaching Silence is released. Two of the tracks are respectively 32:56 and 38:17 minutes long while the last song Epiphany with its 2:32 minutes which works like a kind of bridge between the two long tracks. As these tracks were made for a multi-media installation which I assume means that the music was either accompanied by pictures or movies ( or maybe something else?) they are very atmospheric but unfortunately also very repetitive. Maybe they would have been more interesting if I had experienced them with the other parts of the multi-media installation but as music alone I find the music on Approaching Silence very longdrawn and quite frankly boring. I hate to use the word boring in a review but I really fight to keep my eyes open here. Ambient music can be very interesting if the composer aim at entertaining his audience but on the other hand ambient music can also be extremely tiring and exhausting if it´s as introvert as it´s the case on Approaching Silence. There´s nothing wrong with the production or the performance of the pieces but for me this is closer to muzak than it is to music. 1 star is warranted.

Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth full-length studio album by experimental pop/ rock artist David Sylvian. The former Japan frontman showed great promise on his first couple of albums but Secrets of the Beehive stands as something very special in my book. The musicians he has chosen for the album are perfect for the job and it´s very audible. Especially Ryuichi Sakamoto, who is credited for organ, synthesizer, piano, arranging, string arrangements and woodwind arrangement, has a big part in the warm and unique sound on the album.

The songs are generally sophisticated vers/ chorus based pop/ rock songs. David Sylvian´s warm and emotional voice is the center of the music and he has never sounded more confident yet at the same time vulnerable as he sounds on this album. Some of his strongest lyrics are also to be found on Secrets of the Beehive. I´ll make a short quotation from the song When Poets Dreamed Of Angels, which is one of my favorites on the album: She rises early from bed, Runs to the mirror, The bruises inflicted in moments of fury. He kneels beside her once more, Whispers a promise, Next time I'll break every bone in your body. There are several strong themes on the album. This short quote about domestic violence is just one of them. Others I could mention are The Boy With the Gun and The Devil´s Own. What is most important about the music on the album is the melancholic warmth it possesses and the emotional impact it has on me. Secrets of the Beehive is probably one of David Sylvian´s least experimental albums, so I don´t listen to the album to be challenged or to experience progressive behaviour. I listen to this album because it´s an excellent release no matter what genre tags you want to apply to it.

The production is warm and pleasant. A real treat for my ears and it suits the music perfectly.

I listen to lots of music each and every day in many different genres and styles, but very seldom do I find music that has an emotional impact on me like Secrets of the Beehive has. Such a rare achivement is of course awarded with a 5 star rating. A brilliant album this one IMO.

Dead Bees On A Cake eigth full-length studio album by UK experimental pop/ rock artist David Sylvian. The album is the first true solo album since the excellent Secrets of The Beehive (1987). The three intermediate albums were two collabarative efforts with Holger Czukay ( Can) and one with Robert Fripp ( King Crimson). It´s been six years since the release of The First Day (with Robert Fripp) (1993) and maybe as a consequence of the long time between releases Dead Bees On A Cake is a pretty long album with an almost 70 minute long playing time. David Sylvian obviously had a lot he wanted to say after such a long break.

The music is in usual David Sylvian style which means mostly laid-back semi-jazzy experimental pop/ rock with his emotional and distinct vocal as the focus in the music. It´s actually really nice to hear that he has brought back some intimacy to his performance. An intimacy that wasn´t present on The First Day (with Robert Fripp). His vocal performance on Dead Bees On A Cake is flawless IMO. The instrumentation unfortunately isn´t. Sometimes the instrumentation is a bit too nice and polished. I would really wish that there was a bit more bite in some of the songs. An example of a song which has great instrumentation and doesn´t lack bite is Pollen Path. A great song that one. An example of the opposite is the almost embarrasing eastern influenced instrumentation in Krishna Blue. Not nice. Just not nice. It sounds so superficial and forced that I cringe in embarrasment. So the album has both really great features and unfortunately some not so great ones too. 70 minutes is a bit too long for an album like this which also drags my rating down a bit. While there are some experimental sections most songs are vers/ chorus structured pop/ rock songs which isn´t a problem when the delivery is like is was on Secrets of The Beehive but the music on Dead Bees On A Cake doesn´t reach the heights of that splendid album.

The production while very professional is a bit too polished for my taste.

I realize that my review of Dead Bees On A Cake comes off a bit negative but most of the album is actually very good and a 3 star rating is deserved. I just can´t call it excellent.

The First Day (with Robert Fripp) is the seventh full-length studio album by UK experimental pop/ rock artist David Sylvian. It´s not an ordinary solo album though but more a collaboration with King Crimson founder Robert Fripp.

The music on the album blends David Sylvian´s experimental, atmosperic and ambient pop/ rock with Robert Fripp´s experimental guitar playing and on paper that looks pretty great IMO. Some of the album fully meets my expectations while other parts of the album don´t impress me much. The first 5 songs are good experimental pop/ rock songs with both rock styled and more ambient sections. I´m actually reminded a bit of the most rock styled songs on the 90´s albums by Depeche Mode ( albeit a bit more experimental than that band). The guitar playing is much more experimental than Martin Gore´s playing and gives the album its progressive sound. The last two songs drag the album down considerably though. The 17:17 minute long Darshan is extremely repetitive and to my ears quite boring and the 8:31 minute long and ambient Bringing Down the Light, while a bit more enjoyable and pleasant than Darshan, also offers little of interest to me. I usually enjoy David Sylvian´s pleasant and warm voice and his sophisticated delivery but while his performance here is good it never reaches the heights of his best performances. His performance on The First Day (with Robert Fripp) lacks the intimacy that I so greatly enjoy on his best albums.

The musicianship and sound quality are generally excellent even though the drums do have that distinct early nineties sound that I usually don´t enjoy much.

I found The First Day (with Robert Fripp) to be an enjoyable album but not more than that. Especially the last 25 minutes of the album drags my rating down and a 3 star rating is warranted. Interesting but flawed.

I don't like David Sylvian's vocals, his decadent pose only serves as an ineffective way of trying to hide his lack of melodic imagination and expressive capacity. He only succeeds in making all songs sound alike, with the same ending to all phrases, like he was dying, always the same tone, always the same duration. He tries to make us believe he is past everything, when he hasn't even started his way there. It may have sounded very innovative in 1993, but it doesn't hold, though, sadly, it has become a too common way of singing nowadays. I can't see what Fripp likes about it, but I would have preferred Adrian Belew singing, even though I don't think he's very good at it.

This is David's project, these are David's songs, but the personality and atmosphere Fripp conveys to everything he touches can't be ignored. So, to me, this record turns into a collection of softer (middle and late) Crimsonian songs, with those highly original repeating asymmetrical phrases Fripp uses to accompany, and of which he is a real master. That is what all those pseudo Crimson influenced bands should be aiming at, but are not able. You also get your dose of Fripp's great signature solos. Very good playing also by Michael Brook and Trey Gunn, and very good drumming by Pat Mastelotto, always keeping the groove, but ever changing. You should try to predict his snare drum isolated kicks; this drumming fits perfectly with Fripp's phrasing.

If you think you'd like a soft Crimson, something like a middle point between Crimson and Soundscapes, you'll like this record. But it has a serious drawback: David Sylvain. I recommend that you try to listen concentrating on the instruments and pushing the voice into the background, as ambient wind noise.

Former Japan frontman third solo album. Robert Fripp and Mel Collins participate.

Very interesting experimental music. Mix of post-Japan synthesizers driven music with Crimsonian moments. Sylvian voice is cold, a bit androidal ( remind me Gary Numan voice, electronics sounds remind Gary Numan music as well!). Music is mid-tempo, based on dark ambient and post new romantics electronics beat. But in pplaces all this music is scented by Fripp frippertronics.

I believe, that the sound is to everyone taste. Someone will hate sinthesizer based rhythms ( remind new wave in a moments), slow "teasing" tempo, cold music and cold vocal. But all this basis is covered by Fripp guitar acrobatics and Mel Collins sax .

Very interesting album, not only for Fripp/KC maniacs, but for everyone, who has no allergy to experimental part of synthesizers post new wave.

Very interesting album. Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto ( let say KC trio) collaborated with David Sylvian and Michael Brook!

In fact, it is alternative King Crimson version with Sylvian on vocal and rich in dark ambient synthesizer sound. This live album mainly contains songs from previous studio album "The First Days", in which Fripp and Gunn participated as well.

But this live version is more energetic, with longer solos, much more interesting album.

Again, if Fripp and Gunn guitars sound in moments remind you KC music, deep electronic sounds from Sylvian synthesizers, slow rhythm , soft drums and total "teasing" sound is really different from any KC version.

Music is not only interesting, but and really good. Some songs are more "Sylvianish", with slow tempo and some Bowie intonations. Another are more Crimsonian, driven by Fripp guitar with Gunn-Mastelotto characteristic rhythm section.

Strongly recommended to all KC fans ,Fripp fans, Trey Gunn fans and everyone,who is interested in most original of progressive rock from 90-s.

David Sylvian is co-founder of synthy-pop band Japan in past. So he wasn't very interesting for me by himself, but that album is recorded with collaboration with Robert Fripp and would-be King Crimson member Trey Gunn. So, I purchased it. And I am happy with that!

For sure, the music on the album is different from King Crimson, or Japan ( band) music. It is unusual mix of electronics, ambient, Fripp heavy guitar and Trey Gunn's cold pulsation. Both together it sounds a bit similar to Eno-Byrn "My Life In the Bush of Ghosts" album ( especially on "God's Monkey"). In moments sound is similar to Bowie Berlin trilogy. Any way, they use some african rhythmics and unusual bass pulsation.

Sylvian voice isn't strong or specific, but ( as in case with Bowie) sounds good in combination with that kind of music. There are plenty of Fripp guitar,Gunn bass and Sylvian ambient keyboards. Songs are different and quite energetic. So, listening is really pleasant and interesting.

The joint work with Holger Czukay might have been indeed an act of nature for David Sylvian. David Sylvian is made remarks that the part of the transition was felt in the directionality that should be aimed at this time. The method of the challenge and the expression to music with oneself who has them revolutionize it from "Rock Star" to "Artist" to say nothing of those thought might be contained. The music that became the artist of Solo from the band by him and was expressed will have been self's exactly opening. His secret part was originally a part that was already as an expression of the activity as Solo. Of course, there was a fact to which the gap that the listener had caused with the band as an expression that he did between Solo was understood, too. However, he carried and the expression of the self in the parts other than work with various musicians and music carried enough out the function as the expressionist indeed including the idea.

Zeal to music and the expression was never lost at this time said that he was facing the transition period in the expression method. It was an act exactly done as one of the methods of the expression of the self and the joint work with Holger Czukay might have polished in the method of his expression further.

It might have been a work from which the methodology of Holger Czukay had come out a little strongly though it was an album of the joint work in "Plight&Premonition". The secret element might have given a little difficult part for the listener as an impression. However, wavelength each other was indeed reflected in the work. And, the width of the methodology that they should express is expanded further and it has coming in succession of the sound and the calculated flow in this album. And, if it is considered that the method of expressing David Sylvian has been considerably appointed in the composition of the tune and the part of production, it will be music with high quality that this album was exactly completed at the end of the joint work in this album. The composition of the overall tune is calculated indeed and has succeeded in getting rid of from a simple ambient.

The keyboard of Sylvian and Percussion of Jaki Liebezeit contribute in "Flux". The calculation of the sound and the processing of the space are given to the flow it is secret and with the anacatesthesia well. Coming in succession of guitar with transparent feeling in which tune is not obstructed. Or, the element of Flugelhorn of the wave. And, it is partial of the song. Flow of perfect guitar by Michael Caroli. These elements are expressed in union.

"Mutability" might be a tune of which the taste of the expression of David Sylvian has gone out strongly. Development where the melody not to make the listener get tired of the flow with the anacatesthesia is consecutive might be splendid. The secret expression that David Sylvian thinks about is expressed enough though doesn't sing.

It might be true that there was a revolution in the method of expressing Sylvian in work with Holger Czukay at this time. And, these expression method will be satisfactorily demonstrated in the album of the work and Rain Tree Crow with Robert Fripp.