Vista blog

[silentwings]

The latest article at Vista is about 'Grains (sweet paulownia wood)', David Sylvian's first released sung performance for nearly a decade.

Recorded early in 2022 it's a 'remodel' of an earlier instrumental track by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto. The vocal line is so beautifully matched with the music it's difficult to believe it was conceived about 15 years after the underlying track. Spellbinding!

Here's the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/11/15/gra ... wnia-wood/

[silentwings]

There's a new article published on the Vista site about David Sylvian's sole reading of poetry by Nils Christian Moe-Repstad, 'I Swallowed Earth for This'.

The very last piece on Uncommon Deities, it strikes a very different tone to the preceding readings that are third-party narratives about various minor deities. Spoken in the first person, it displays the elemental imagery that makes Moe-Repstad's work so remarkable and led to him being such an admired talent.

Here's the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/12/06/i-s ... -for-this/

[silentwings]

'Silver Moon' is the subject of the latest blog article on Vista.

I've always liked this track, it seems to capture the 'lightness' and 'exuberance' that David Sylvian saw in Gone to Earth.

I'm privileged to include brief contributions from Jennifer Maidman who played bass on the track, Nick Brandt who directed the promo video and Russell Mills who designed the single artwork.

Here's the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2024/12/26/sil ... -steeples/

[silentwings]

A new article has just been published about 'Late Night Shopping', David Sylvian's humorous critique of consumerism.

The song has appeared in various remixed forms, by Chris Vrenna (a version that was subsequently 'tweaked' by Sylvian himself), Burnt Friedman, and Atom™ - the latter an out-take from The Good Son vs The Only Daughter album that has just been made available on bandcamp on a 'name your price' basis (with Sylvian indicating that no payment is necessary).

All details in the article here: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/01/17/lat ... -shopping/

[silentwings]

I just published a new article about Bill Nelson’s contribution to the Gone to Earth album. He and Robert Fripp were selected for their contrasting styles and approaches to the guitar.

Nelson and Sylvian shared important interests which seemed to seep into the music itself. ‘Answered Prayers’ is an absolute gem featuring just the two of them. Perfection!

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/02/07/answered-prayers/

[silentwings]

The latest article features ‘World Citizen (I Won’t Be Disappointed)’, a unique collaboration between Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian and Ryuichi’s ex-YMO bandmates, Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in their incarnation at the time of Sketch Show.

There are some great remixes of the song, including Sakamoto’s looped piano version on Chasm and Taylor Deupree’s mix which adds a delicious stepped bass part.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/02/28/wor ... appointed/

[silentwings]

I’ve just published a new piece about Japan’s ‘Life Without Buildings’.

Recorded as the b-side of the original version of ‘The Art of Parties’, it was the band’s final session with John Punter as producer. Steve Jansen said it represented ‘an exciting shift’ in how they worked in the studio, and Mick Karn later said it was his favourite track that the band recorded.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/03/21/lif ... buildings/

[Quiet Visitor]

As always thanks for the great research.

Just one addition: the live-version of Life Without Building by JBK is also available on CD. It was the last track on the Jansen Barbieri Karn Medium Label-sampler: https://www.discogs.com/master/970711-J ... el-Sampler

[silentwings]

Thanks Quiet Visitor for the reminder that the JBK live version of ‘Life Without Buildings’ is on the Medium sampler cd as well as the vinyl re-release of Playing in a Room with People.

I’ve just published the latest article, exploring the guest vocalists on Steve Jansen’s Slope.

Anja Garbarek created the vocal part for ‘Cancelled Pieces’ - for many years I missed the fact that David Sylvian plays guitar on this song.

Sylvian played a role in identifying singers to invite - including Thomas Feiner and Nina Kinert, the latter reprising ‘Playground Martyrs’.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/04/11/can ... s-reprise/

[silentwings]

Thanks Quiet Visitor for the reminder that the JBK live version of ‘Life Without Buildings’ is on the Medium sampler cd as well as the vinyl re-release of Playing in a Room with People.

I’ve just published the latest article, exploring the guest vocalists on Steve Jansen’s Slope.

Anja Garbarek created the vocal part for ‘Cancelled Pieces’ - for many years I missed the fact that David Sylvian plays guitar on this song.

Sylvian played a role in identifying singers to invite - including Thomas Feiner and Nina Kinert, the latter reprising ‘Playground Martyrs’.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/04/11/can ... s-reprise/
www.sylvianvista.com

[silentwings]

The next article is about ‘Do You Know Me Now?’, first released on a limited edition 10” white vinyl in 2013.

Sylvian was one of the musicians approached by visual artist Phil Collins to produce music based around telephone conversations recorded (with the participants’ consent) on a free phone installed at a homeless shelter in Cologne.

The song evidently had lasting resonance for Sylvian who named his samadhisound era box set after it and recorded a video for the track at Georgia O’Keeffe’s Ghost Ranch over a decade after it was recorded.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/05/02/do-you-know-me-now/

[silentwings]

I’ve just published an article about ‘The Last Days of December’ - one of the new songs to be included on the Died in the Wool album and the second original piece to be created with contemporary classical composer Dai Fujikura.

All the indications are that the lyric concerns the final hours of the poet Sylvia Plath.

Read here: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/05/23/the ... -december/

[silentwings]

Diving into another project with Ryuichi Sakamoto for the latest article - ‘Bamboo Houses’.

Recorded before Japan’s last tour and after Ryuichi’s busy year which yielded two YMO albums and a solo record too, it still stands up - I think it’s the care and detail that went into both the creation of the sounds and the arrangement.

Hope you enjoy.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/06/13/bamboo-houses/

[Quiet Visitor]

Thanks. Fine read. I bought the 12" version on release and was pleasantly surprised to find them on Sylvian's compilation-album A Victim Of Stars. Yet, Kevin's comment on your article made me search for that Japanese mini-CD with 2 version of Forbidden Colours. Found one in Greece!

[silentwings]

I’ve just published an article about the new album by Melaine Dalibert & David Sylvian, Vermilion Hours.

With exclusive input from Melaine who explains Sylvian’s role in reinventing his “music for daybreak”.

Here’s the link: https://sylvianvista.com/2025/07/04/mus ... r-du-jour/

(And many thanks Quiet Visitor for the feedback on the previous post.)