Back to his roots? C'mon guys, what part of the following statement can't you comprehend...
>>>Sylvian wants to get rid of his straight-forward image of singer-songwriter for good.<<<
The recent Sylvian track "Sleepwalkers" is a strong indicator of what to expect in regards to his forthcoming solo cd.
Check this site to hear the recent work of Polwechsel, a band which includes the aforementioned Burkhard Stangl, Werner Daffeldecker and Martin Brandlmayr:
http://www.polwechsel.com/inde.htm
And check this site to hear samples of work by Keith Rowe, Evan Parker, John Butcher (also a member of Polwechsel), and the late Derek Bailey whom you all know of well from blemish:
http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/
This type of musical freedom seems to be the course Sylvian wishes to explore. Hence that is why he described The World Is Everything tour to be in some way closing the door on past work.
I myself would indeed prefer a continuation of Nine Horses since I do not feel the potential there has been fully reached, and enjoy the 'song-based' formula slightly more than the improvisational. Yet in the time that Sylvian has been collaborating with his partners Friedman and Jansen (who have both written the majority of the music), he has spent equal time working with the influence of these experimental improvisational musicians in an effort to compose his next disc.