@sylvianvista.com.bsky.social
The official account of Vista - a blog inspired by the music of David Sylvian and his collaborators https://sylvianvista.com/
NEW ARTICLE: 'Wonderful World' is the opening track of the Nine Horses album, Snow Borne Sorrow. It was recorded early on by a trio of David Sylvian, Steve Jansen and Keith Lowe, with an additional vocal overlaid later by the wonderful Stina Nordenstam.
sylvianvista.com/2025/11/29/w...
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Propaganda's 'A Secret Wish' is celebrating 40 years, so reposting this article about David Sylvian's fleeting involvement with the album: his synth & guitar lines for 'p:Machinery', and a reportedly gorgeous mix of 'Duel'.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2022/07/22/p...
One of the most read blog posts on Vista is about the Sylvian/Joan duets project that was never completed, tracing songs that were to have been part of it, such as Sylvianβs βBeautiful Countryβ & Joanβs βWarning Bellβ - the latter was performed last night.
sylvianvista.com/2020/05/29/b...
Saw Joan as Police Woman perform last night at a packed EartH in Dalston as part of the London Jazz Festival. The highlight for me was the title track of Joanβs latest album, βLemons, Limes and Orchidsβ.
16.11.2025 11:54 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
REMINDER: the latest article features Lucrecia Dalt's A Danger to Ourselves. David Sylvian is her partner and his 'contribution became fundamental', she says, as inspiration, 'creative mixer', vocalist on the opener and lead guitarist on the final track.
sylvianvista.com/2025/11/01/a...
NEW ARTICLE: Lucrecia Dalt's new album A Danger to Ourselves has been widely acclaimed. Exploring her approach to developing the record's enthralling sound and David Sylvian's role as inspiration, mentor, co-producer & lead guitarist for 'Covenstead Blues'.
sylvianvista.com/2025/11/01/a...
FROM THE ARCHIVE: posted in memory of Dave Ball of Soft Cell & The Grid who passed away this week. An article about The Grid's 'translucent remix' of Sylvian/Fripp's 'Darshan'. Dave & Richard Norris stayed faithful to the track but gave it a new flavour.
sylvianvista.com/2023/11/03/d...
#daveball
REMINDER: The latest article explores 'Cosa Rara' by Lucrecia Dalt which features David Sylvian, who also co-produced and mixed the song. Recorded at the home they share in New Mexico, the lyric references road trips, Twin Peaks, and car crashes...
sylvianvista.com/2025/10/10/c...
#davidsylvian
NEW ARTICLE: 'Cosa Rara' - the single that paved the way for Lucrecia Dalt's new album A Danger to Ourselves. Structured around Alex LΓ zaro's percussion, with Cyrus Campbell on bass. The coda features David Sylvian's vocal and he also completed the mix. sylvianvista.com/2025/10/10/c...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features 'Alphabet Angel' from David Sylvian's album Dead Bees on a Cake. A gem with vocals by Sylvian and 'pseudo rhodes' played by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The sweet melody is offset by 'discolouration' in the mix.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/09/19/a...
#davidsylvian
NEW ARTICLE: David Sylvian's album Dead Bees on a Cake celebrates many joys of life, with 'Alphabet Angel' highlighting the 'miracle' of parenthood. The song is performed by Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto. 'Strange harmonics' lurk beneath the surface.
sylvianvista.com/2025/09/19/a...
#davidsylvian
FROM THE ARCHIVE: One of the earliest blog articles from the series, about 'Small Metal Gods'. I really like the sparse accompaniment to this song and Sylvian's rich vocal as he delivers the 'slightly bitter, quite petulant, disillusioned, angry' lyric.
sylvianvista.com/2018/11/09/s...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features 'Blackwater' by Rain Tree Crow, the first we heard of the project by the ex-members of Japan. An atmospheric song with intricate brushed drumming from Steve Jansen & unique atmospheres from Richard Barbieri.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/08/29/b...
NEW ARTICLE: 'Blackwater' was the single that heralded the new incarnation of Richard Barbieri, Steve Jansen, Mick Karn & David Sylvian as Rain Tree Crow. The members of Japan released new music a decade after Tin Drum. Bill Nelson is a welcome guest.
sylvianvista.com/2025/08/29/b...
#japantheband
FROM THE ARCHIVE: 'Victim of Stars' was one of two vocal tracks featuring David Sylvian from the first edition of Hector Zazou's album Sahara Blue. The project was a celebration of Arthur Rimbaud and Sylvian's lyric was inspired by his poetic vision.
sylvianvista.com/2019/01/11/v...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features David Sylvian's Steel Cathedrals which he called the 'first step in a new approach for me', opening up the music for guest musicians to respond. The approach was rewarded with beautiful work from Sakamoto, Fripp et al.
sylvianvista.com/2025/08/01/s...
NEW ARTICLE: David Sylvian's 'Steel Cathedrals' has a wonderful line up of guests: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Robert Fripp, Holger Czukay, Kenny Wheeler, Steve Jansen & Masami Tsuchiya. Developed from an earlier piece called 'Showing the Wound (A Will to Health)'.
sylvianvista.com/2025/08/01/s...
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Looking back to David Sylvian's first solo tour in 1988, with a stellar band of Isham, Torn, Jansen, Barbieri, Maidman and Aceto. Some terrific musicianship on display - the Hammersmith show I attended is a treasured memory.
sylvianvista.com/2021/11/05/b...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features the new album by Melaine Dalibert & David Sylvian, Vermilion Hours, with exclusive input from Melaine who gives insight into the work and its context - particularly 'Music for the Break of Day'.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/07/04/m...
NEW ARTICLE: An interview with Melaine Dalibert on the release of his new album with David Sylvian, Vermilion Hours. We talked about his motivation for revisiting the composition 'Musique pour le Lever du Jour' and inviting Sylvian to contribute electronics.
sylvianvista.com/2025/07/04/m...
FROM THE ARCHIVE: David Sylvian's Fire in the Forest tour (2003/4) was performed with Steve Jansen & Masakatsu Takagi. A Sylvian & Takagi collaboration track also resulted: 'Exit/Delete'. Back in 2018, Masakatsu told me how the song came about.
Link: sylvianvista.com/2018/11/30/e...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features 'Bamboo Houses' from the double A side single by David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto released in 1982. Sylvian remixed the track, adding a new vocal, for his Everything & Nothing compilation in 2000.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/06/13/b...
NEW ARTICLE: 'Bamboo Houses' - part of the double A-side single released by David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto in 1982. The project came before Japan's last tour and during a period when Sakamoto was busy with YMO, solo & other projects. Always a favourite.
sylvianvista.com/2025/06/13/b...
FROM THE ARCHIVE: 'Visions of China' - tracing the roots of the fascination with China that underpins Japan's classic album, Tin Drum, and its sleeve imagery. Influences adopted into unique and technically ingenious pop music.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2022/12/02/v...
#japantheband
REMINDER: The latest article features 'The Last Days of December', the second original piece from the collaboration of David Sylvian & @daifujikura.bsky.social. All the indications are that the lyrics concern the poet Sylvia Plath.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/05/23/t...
#davidsylvian
NEW ARTICLE: 'The Last Days of December' was the second original track created by David Sylvian and Dai Fujikura, with a string arrangement built around bass flute multiphonics and a lyric seemingly recounting the final hours of the poet Sylvia Plath.
sylvianvista.com/2025/05/23/t...
#davidsylvian
FROM THE ARCHIVE: Next month, the new instrumental album by Melaine Dalibert & David Sylvian, Vermilion Hours, will be released. Here's an article from 2021 about their previous work together - including an exclusive interview with Melaine.
Link: sylvianvista.com/2021/09/03/y...
#davidsylvian
REMINDER: The latest article features David Sylvian's 'Do You Know Me Now?'. Sylvian's affinity for the track was such that he named his retrospective boxset after it, and recorded a video for the song a decade after it was first released.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/05/02/d...
#davidsylvian
NEW ARTICLE: David Sylvian's 'Do You Know Me Now?' was first issued on limited edition 10" white vinyl in 2013. The song was created for an installation by the artist Phil Collins who collaborated with a shelter for the homeless in Cologne on the project.
sylvianvista.com/2025/05/02/d...
REMINDER: The latest article features Steve Jansen's Slope, in particular the song 'Cancelled Pieces' with vocals from Anja Garbarek & 'great sounding guitar work' from David Sylvian. Also touching on Nina Kinert's lovely reprise of 'Playground Martyrs'.
Read here: sylvianvista.com/2025/04/11/c...
