Sleepwalkers

[digimarsh]

Has Sylvian done any interviews to promote the release?

I have only seen various press releases ,which contain quotes from various sources including david himself,

i notice Sleepwalkers (and manafon) is available to download via the amazon website, these are the first two samadhi releases to my knowledge to have this option,looks like David has struck a new deal with them, whether its for the whole label or just him we will see, it does give his own material additional exposure.

[ScottR]

I'm intrigued Scott...what is it about Emily Dickinson and the rest of Manafon you find so offensive?

Hi Simon,

you asked...

I find that both Blemish & Manafon leave me cold and depressed. I mean when I'm in the car driving home this is the last thing I want to listen to. Nor do I rush home and to put this on my player. This is definately not something I would ever play for my friends in any context. My listening time is somewhat limited and when I do find time I want to be uplifted not suicidal.

IMHO spoken word is just not one of dS strengths, it seems like a waste of resources. Also, I find the individual performances on manafon to be amateurish and juvenile at best. I cant believe he actually booked studio time for this. Similar results could have been had using field recordings.

I feel like he has wasted to much time and money on these projects with dreadful results. Manafon would have been fine as a downloadable one off project but the time and effort consumed by this no-formity is starting to drag his career into the mud. Sleepwalkers is another attempt to make up for declining revenues.

Its funny, I would have never imagined in my lifetime that Ingrids work would ever outshine Davids, but lately that seems to be the case. Its kind of sad when you think about it. In the past David has always been about balance. Now he seems to be wobbling out of control.

[inkinthewell]

I find the individual performances on manafon to be amateurish and juvenile at best.

I know it wasn't in your intentions, Scott, but considering the musicians involved (and their age), I just can't avoid seeing this as a great compliment.

[Simonp]

I'm intrigued Scott...what is it about Emily Dickinson and the rest of Manafon you find so offensive?

IMHO spoken word is just not one of dS strengths, it seems like a waste of resources. Also, I find the individual performances on manafon to be amateurish and juvenile at best. I cant believe he actually booked studio time for this. Similar results could have been had using field recordings.
.

Hi Scott

Spoken word? Are you listening to the same Manafon as me?

S

[heartofdavid]

I find that both Blemish & Manafon leave me cold and depressed...My listening time is somewhat limited and when I do find time I want to be uplifted not suicidal.

It is the opposite, for me. Not saying they put me in a party mood, but lyrically and emotionally I find a personal connection, human to human, and when an artist can do that there is less of the "I'm the only one going through this and feeling this way' mood I sometimes experience. And that, in turn, can bring me out of that mood and back to a state of balance.

But that's just me.

[karnsculpture]

Having heard it now I think the collection works as a roundup of what DS has been up to since "Blemish" and the audience it will satisfy the most is probably the one that hasn't heard much since then, particularly those that didn't get the various EPs and albums that some of the songs were included on.

So for those of us who've followed all along it was never going to be as interesting as a new album - but some of the changes work well (Exit/Delete) while others seem a bit pointless (why alter the perfection of Playground Martyrs) and I can't tell the difference on a few tracks. Like Manafon, the album works best on headphones (the subtle additions to some tracks are more noticeable) and as I was up to Birmingham and back today I had enough time to listen the same way as that album. It definitely works on a train, staring out at the countryside, but as soon as I had to go into the underground I had to switch to something lighter to match the pace.

I think it compares well with Everything & Nothing - some lovely songs, some odd alternate mixes that are not as good as the originals, and a few new interesting but not that fantastic tracks. Finally, as with E&N, there are a few magnificent songs that would have fitted the remit, but don't appear e.g. For The Love Of Life, my favourite from the last decade, and possibly Linoleum (though I'm hazy and maybe that was recorded during the Virgin years). Oh well, that's the joy of being a fan I suppose - sometimes the best nuggets are difficult to find.

[baht habit]

I feel like he has wasted to much time and money on these projects with dreadful results. Manafon would have been fine as a downloadable one off project but the time and effort consumed by this no-formity is starting to drag his career into the mud. Sleepwalkers is another attempt to make up for declining revenues.

I must admit that I always get a kick out of how you opt to express yourself...as well as the large amount of weight you put your own opinion. First you write that you "feel like he has wasted to much time and money on these projects with dreadful results". So that is how you feel, and that is your opinion - valid or invalid, either way that is strictly an opinion. Yet somehow you allow an opinion heavily based more on your feelings towards his recent output, rather than being based on any solid fact, to convince yourself of being so absolutely sure that Sylvian's situation is financially declining. Obviously, he is no longer beholden to a large profit hungry record company. He is carrying on his career independently . And now that he can do this independently, he no longer has to be concerned with commercial appeal. He can create and issue the music he wishes to release. He no longer has the undesirable constraints of having to earn money for a corporation placed upon him.

As for Sleepwalkers, I have no doubt that it is monetarily beneficial to release a compilation consisting mainly of previously released material. But this particular comp also serves a very worthy purpose...yet it is a purpose which probably eludes most of us fans who are normally determined to seek out anything Sylvian contributes on and therefore will purchase an entire album for one track. I'll make a reasonable assessment that there are certain fans who actually would not have known of the existence of The World Is Everything Tour Program so they would not have had the opportunity to previously hear such splendid tracks as Sleepwalkers and The World Is Everything. Nor possibly would they have gone through the trouble of locating a copy of the Crime Scenes by Punkt, so maybe the track Angels is a new commodity. Perhaps the same could be said of the track with Arve Henriksen, Thermal (By the way, is it strange that Before And After Life was excluded from this release? ) or Transit from Fennesz' Venice. A good portion of this compilation could very well be new discoveries for some in the fan base who are not as rabid as we.
For me personally, the collection is worth it for the opportunity to hear Five Lines, and therefore now being made aware of the future promise held within that track. It is worth it for the necessity of a remix & refix of Exit / Delete, and the knowledge that the lead off track Sleepwalkers now has the much deserved opportunity to reach a wider audience. Those three aspects equal success and satisfaction for me. And if Sylvian happens to make some cash without much cost, then I feel that is a positive as well. He will undoubtedly put this profit directly back into his art and that evinces encouragement from his fans. In my opinion, only an unreasonable person would choose to begrudge him for releasing this compilation.

[untitled]

On the whole I'm pretty happy with this release. The tracks sound a bit fresher, crisper than before. I am loving the whistling at the end of Ballad of a Deadman – it makes me laugh every time I hear it. I hadn't quite picked up how close the refrain was to the famous “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” theme until I heard the whistling on this version. Sorry, I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes!

I much prefer the artwork after seeing it in the flesh...so to speak! The cover image suits being darker grey than on Ms Kloush's website version. That said, I find the t-shirts and hats on the SS website, absolutely hideous.

Five Lines. The music is brilliant and the vocals, flawless as ever. There are small sections where I feel they are fighting against each other, rather than working together. Maybe closer listening is required. I agree with Bhat...the section starting at 1:49 is particularly lovely. All bodes well for Manafon - The Musical


But it's not all good. Why did he mess with Sugarfuel? One of the best things about this track is the rare opportunity to hear Dave get his groove on a little. Now he's gone and sucked the life out of it. I don't approve...he can KEEP it Oh and before I forget, the exit out of Thermal into Sugarfuel is nasty.

Last, but by no means least - I can just about cope with Wonderful World being there and personally I would have used Get The H*ll Out, rather than Money for All, but for me there is really no excuse for putting The Day The Earth Stole Heaven on this compilation. It was a weak track on SBS – it doesn't deserve another outing here. It has promptly been replaced on my version with Before and After Life.

If and I appreciate it is a big IF, Sylvian and Fennesz have spent a couple of weeks working together, then this is one very happy lady I think Snow White and Emily are genius. Now, if Martin Brandlmayr happened to be holidaying there at the same time........well, David could recite the phone book, whilst they tinkered in the background and I'll bet it would be brilliant

[baht habit]

Five Lines. The music is brilliant and the vocals, flawless as ever. There are small sections where I feel they are fighting against each other, rather than working together...the section starting at 1:49 is particularly lovely.

Yes, it is nearly as if we are listening to an orchestral approximation of the collaborations between Sylvian and the late Derek Bailey. And then all of a sudden, and even then only momentarily, the pieces fit into place in a bit more conventional way - perhaps in a way similar to the musical elements which make up The World Is Everything?....before drifting back off in a more disparate manner.

[ScottR]

Yes baht... I do get to have a opinion too whether you like it or not. And no it is not anymore legitimate than yours. Why jump to such conclusions?

[opiate]

FFS Totally hacked off I still haven't got this and everyone else has I'm never doing this again via Samadhisound. Whats the purpose of pre-ordering a whole month ahead when I can just wait and get it off Amazon and have it on the same/next day? Aaaaand I don't have the displeasure of also paying £4.00 (15%) shipping on top!

Poor show guys NOT the way to distribute and a bad user experience for any fans. Pah.

[missouriman]

Yes baht... I do get to have a opinion too whether you like it or not. And no it is not anymore legitimate than yours. Why jump to such conclusions?

I get the distinct feeling that the line "you f*cking sleepwalkers" is aimed at ScottR now. Stop your whinging boy and either shut up or move on. You are a bore buddy.

[hego]

untitled write:

On the whole I'm pretty happy with this release. The tracks sound a bit fresher, crisper than before. I am loving the whistling at the end of Ballad of a Deadman – it makes me laugh every time I hear it. I hadn't quite picked up how close the refrain was to the famous “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” theme until I heard the whistling on this version. Sorry, I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes!

I much prefer the artwork after seeing it in the flesh...so to speak! The cover image suits being darker grey than on Ms Kloush's website version. That said, I find the t-shirts and hats on the SS website, absolutely hideous.

Five Lines. The music is brilliant and the vocals, flawless as ever. There are small sections where I feel they are fighting against each other, rather than working together. Maybe closer listening is required. I agree with Bhat...the section starting at 1:49 is particularly lovely. All bodes well for Manafon - The Musical

I Agree with above
Hopefully the next comp. is coming soon titled Daywalkers with older re-worked material he has done.

[digimarsh]

After giving the album some considerable 'air time' over the last few days i consider it a very wothy release indeed, the tracks fit together very well and the spoken tracks seem to compliment the whole experience nicely ,creating a very definate feel to the listen.Considering most of the tracks do not appear on any of sylvians previous album releases ,this collection only adds to his ensamble of albums for me.
What i would say about Davids recent body of work in response to certain critical remarks ,is the that his output has developed in a certain direction for sure, to me it's full of character and has texture and a certain quality that is so sadly lacking in a lot of stuff these days. Manafon for example ,is not an album to be listened to purely because it reflects your current state of mind,it's so much more than that ,in the sense it's an experience in terms of soundscapes and stark narative ,much like a good film or book.Sleepwalkers is also in this vain and considering it's a collection of material recorded with different people over a fairly sizeable time frame is quite an achievement i would say

[Foales Arishes]

Listening to this collection reinforces my personal view that 'Manafon' is his zenith ...and I could not give a flying f**k what anyone else thinks about it... 'Five Lines' is good [very good even], and maybe the best thing on here, but it's somehow too neat and tidy, lacking the raw edges of his masterwork.... I find much of David's work just too tidy, verging on the bland.

Just my view, don't go stressing over it