Interesting to have attended the borncreative festival in Tokyo last weekend to hear the new instrumental mix of Manafon.
https://www.borncreativefestival.com/davidsylvian
I certainly have a far greater appreciation of the details and nuances of the pieces after this experience. Some incredible sounds exist within the tracks, which until now I'd never noticed as they were obscured by the vocals. Or perhaps I hadn't noticed them before because my attention has always primarily been focussed on the vocals.
Whereas in the past my listening has been far more passive, this provoked a truly active listening experience.
It was a bit like the aural equivalent of entering a James Turrell light installation, in that I became aware not just of the sounds, but also of my own sense of hearing.
Not sure if it would be the same listening to a CD of it, as the act of attending this "performance" with other listeners in the venue did help enhance the experience.
There were about 5 rows of 10 chairs in the centre of a room, surrounded by a set of speakers. The lights were turned off and the sound played in the almost-darkness.