Today, I bring you to the meditative and introspective world of David Sylvian. Formerly the singer/songwriter of the late 70s early 80s synth-pop band Japan. In 1998, as the group disbanded, Sylvian moved to more introspective music. Throughout the next decades, he teamed up with musicians such as Robert Fripp, Talvin Singh and Andy Summers. The music can be haunting but also difficult to approach in some cases. Experimentation guides many of his songs. The CD Dead Bee On A Cake was not welcomed with acclaim by some critics who would have preferred a string of shorter experimentations. On the other hand, those who wished to experience the depth of Sylvian's introspection were very pleased with the outcome. the instrumentation is eclectic, guitar riffs punch through at unexpected moments, and the use of more ethnic instruments gives the songs a meditative mood.
Granted, some of the songs are quite long. The wonderful I Surrender, with it's quirky saxophone, runs over nine minutes, and the meditative and mind-travelling Krishna Blue is eight minutes dreamy tablas and whispy oriental flute.
I must admit, I discovered David Sylvian in one of the darkest times in my life and, instead of dipping into sad songs and "bring-me-down" lyrics, I took Sylvian's inspirational and meditative road. You never feel that the destination the song brings you is the final one. You are simply led to new discoveries.
His music and his voice are entrancing, but it is Sylvian's lyrics that make his music so pleasant. He is truly a poet of our times. As a side note, the song Darkest Dreaming was highlighted as the closing credits of the CSI:Crime Scene Investigation episode where Grissom finally admits to his hearing loss and gets comfort (we suppose) from a lady friend who runs a brothel in Las Vegas. Interesting parallel!
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