07.02.06
But what sweet sorrow, a project which finds David Sylvian collaborating with Steve Jansen, his brother and old bandmate from Japan – for those under 30: as in Japan, the band – and electronic composer Bunrt Friedman.
Certainly there are echoes of that band, which evolved from glam-ish beginnings to an interesting, atmospheric collective picking up the baton for stylish English rock from Roxy Music and David Bowie.
While Sylvian’s fans might have struggled with the bleak fields of his last solo work, Blemish, this finds Sylvian in a setting similar to his best Japan work and evocative solo outings, flating, dreamlike, with subtle layers of synth sounds and percussion, punctuated by occasional jazzy sax.
The opening Wonderful World sets the tone, with it’s jazzy-like drums and double bass anchoring a dark cello and Sylvian’s unmistakable moody incantations. Yet there is alos something optimistic in these nine exquisite songs, like the first buds coming through after a long, lonely winter.
Let’s hope the same happens for Sylvian’s career when word gets around that the muse is back with Nine Horses.
NOEL MENGEL
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Website design and build: Rebels In Control, after cover art by Chris Bigg. Art direction: David Sylvian. Banner images from the Hypergraphia book.