David Sylvian - Manafon

[Simonp]

We’re preparing for the release of David’s new album ‘Manafon’. It’s a powerfully bold, uncompromising work featuring contributions from Evan Parker, John Tilbury, Keith Rowe, Christian Fennesz, Otomo Yoshihide, and many more. It will be released some time in 2015.

[Simonp]

Joke?

[Simonp]

Opium emailed me today saying that Manafon has indeed been put back to September and there would be no announcements until nearer then with regards to track listing etc. ever get the feeling Sylvian and Opium hold us, the record buying public/fans in contempt?

[Stoobie]

Hey Simon

Its getting as bad as a new Blue Nile album, delay after delay after delay !

ah well, we should be used to it by now !

As long as its better than Blemish then i'll be happy ! OOPS ! did i say that out loud !

Stoobie

[mikaels]

It’s a powerfully bold, uncompromising work

Am I the only one having a BAD FEELING about this ?

Will it be 'powerfully bold, uncompromising' in a Blemish way, or will it be really new, like when Bowie released Low? Sorry, but I am still a Bowie fan at heart, and David Sylvian has, from time to time, disappointed me when he's been at his most 'uncompromising'...

Time will tell, and it will take time, it seems

[baht habit]

If I were you, I'd expect to be fully disappointed.

Now to get on with what I really came here for ...

Check out this link to hear recent work by cellist Michael Moser, bassist Werner Dafeldecker, saxophonist John Butcher, and pianist John Tilbury (all expected to be contributors to Manafon) on the joint project "Field" by Polwechsel & John Tilbury :
http://polwechsel.com/inde.htm

[Silver Moon]

Those songs you posted sound like a combination of Blemish, and if Mark Hollis did a 2nd solo album!

I can't wait to hear how Mr. Syl works with these guys... I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of the sparse stuff, but I'm not gonna judge until MANAFON is in my CD player!

-K-

[Drake]

He will probably use tiny, tiny bits and pieces from their sessions and add them to his beautiful musical landscape. Hey, don't worry. Blemish is difficult, but there are MELODIES.

[baht habit]

He will probably use tiny, tiny bits and pieces from their sessions and add them to his beautiful musical landscape. Hey, don't worry. Blemish is difficult, but there are MELODIES.

Drake, you may not have read this previously but this is some information regarding Manafon which was given to me by a writer who has already heard the complete work:

"The basic arrangement is improvised backdrop with spare overdubs supporting Sylvian’s singing, and the basic setup won’t surprise anyone who’s heard, say, his track on that Fennesz album." (the reference is to Transit off of Venice)

The 'improvised backdrop' is provided by these experimental musicians (Fennesz, Keith Rowe, Toshimaru Nakamura, Polwechsel, Sachiko Matsubara, John Tilbury, etc.) who usually record on Erstwhile Records. I've previously suggested looking up the work of these artists on the Erstwhile Records website since evidently, they have greatly affected the recording proceedings for Manafon. The work that was being produced on this recording label during the earliest years of this new century also influenced Sylvian to go forward with the musical concepts for Blemish, so once he completed the Fire In The Forest Tour in 2004, he opted to work with these musicians to take it one step further. So it won't be 'tiny, tiny bits and pieces' as you seem to be hoping for - these artists have provided the base of a musical foundation for this project. In this particular case, 'bold and uncompromising' will mean exactly that.

[inkinthewell]

Check out this link to hear recent work by cellist Michael Moser, bassist Werner Dafeldecker, saxophonist John Butcher, and pianist John Tilbury (all expected to be contributors to Manafon) on the joint project "Field" by Polwechsel & John Tilbury :
http://polwechsel.com/inde.htm

Maybe it's because I was listening to 'Angels' (Sylvian + Punkt) earlier this afternoon, but I couldn't help imagining David's voice on these tracks. And I got the goose bumps.

P.S. I love Transit.

[neonico]

me too

[Adrian]

I think that David as usual started out with trying to make an improvised album but in the end ended up in the studio again tinkering and noodling away...

[Drake]

He will probably use tiny, tiny bits and pieces from their sessions and add them to his beautiful musical landscape. Hey, don't worry. Blemish is difficult, but there are MELODIES.

Drake, you may not have read this previously but this is some information regarding Manafon which was given to me by a writer who has already heard the complete work:

"The basic arrangement is improvised backdrop with spare overdubs supporting Sylvian’s singing, and the basic setup won’t surprise anyone who’s heard, say, his track on that Fennesz album." (the reference is to Transit off of Venice)

The 'improvised backdrop' is provided by these experimental musicians (Fennesz, Keith Rowe, Toshimaru Nakamura, Polwechsel, Sachiko Matsubara, John Tilbury, etc.) who usually record on Erstwhile Records. I've previously suggested looking up the work of these artists on the Erstwhile Records website since evidently, they have greatly affected the recording proceedings for Manafon. The work that was being produced on this recording label during the earliest years of this new century also influenced Sylvian to go forward with the musical concepts for Blemish, so once he completed the Fire In The Forest Tour in 2004, he opted to work with these musicians to take it one step further. So it won't be 'tiny, tiny bits and pieces' as you seem to be hoping for - these artists have provided the base of a musical foundation for this project. In this particular case, 'bold and uncompromising' will mean exactly that.

Thanks, baht habit!

This really seems to something out of the ordinary. Still, on top of those maybe even atonal backgrounds I picture beatiful melodies. But I guess it will take a listen or two to get into this album

[Simonp]

It's only 8 weeks until September...

[Phil Lawton]

I just logged in after a long gap to see what was happening with the new album.

I can't say I'm too fired up after reading the above (not your jottings, Sime). I wonder if 'Manafon' will mark the end of DS getting this phase of his career out of his system and allow him to get back to making music to take your breath away? Or, at least, back to making music you don't need to play 30 times to let you think that you "get" it? (N.B. - My plays of 'Blemish' have yet to reach double figures.)

Whatever, I'll buy buy the new one - firstly, to be able to listen properly before passing comment and, secondly, to sate the demands of the completist in me.

Any news yet of a tour?