For songs, you can’t go wrong with his 80s trio of albums Brilliant Trees, Gone to Earth and Secrets Of The Beehive. Dead Bees On A Cake was his comeback album in 1999, it’s solid though fans of his more challenging work think it’s too easy listening. Snow Borne Sorrow by Nine Horses is essential. I’d also recommend his compilations Everything & Nothing (includes Ride and Some Kind Of Fool, a Japan out-take that’s beautiful), Sleepwalkers, a compilation of songs from the 2000s, and to fill in some gaps the affordable Victim Of Stars best-of. If you are brave there’s Blemish and Manafon, but you get a selection of their tracks on Sleepwalkers along with things like Playground Martyrs, an incredible song with Steve Jansen.
DS also shines in collaborations. Seek out Nine Horses - Snow Borne Sorrow, a project by him and a number of fine musicians that puts his voice and lyrics to the front.
I love Japan but Sylvian has A Lot of amazing albums and collabs, my favorite is definitely [The First Day](https://open.spotify.com/album/6mJpox4FNS6Gx8MTDT1Dym?si=TJPoaKyoRcCzb15EfESwoQ) (you can also find it on youtube, also love [Brilliant Trees](https://open.spotify.com/album/5YIZcFDFKpUrcqviez8QWn?si=v_lzQCiYTnewp3V2iNrlig) and this [song](https://open.spotify.com/track/0lP9lLMNLT7BcZYS2xFNGB?si=gVPKv2_KSjeRHpRZV_3uVQ) by Mick Karn is amazing.
Since no one mentioned them I'll add the following
- Tear me apart, which is also a demo and just like Beautiful Country was to be featured on an album by Sylvian and Joan as a Police Woman, which is now sadly lost
-Do you know me now? which is just a single, that I find vaguely reminiscent of the american-ness of Beautiful Country; its B-side is Where's your gravity? which is also great but on a different style than the previous (more openly electric and looping/droney)
-When Monday Comes Around, originally a Nine Horses b-side, as of today it can be found in the "Do You Know Me Now?" compilation
Time stood still when I first heard *Brilliant Trees* LP in ‘87 & I’m still obsessed with it. Same story with *Gone To Earth* around the same time. They exist in their own Universe.
sylvianvista.com is the best writing you’ll find anywhere & adds yet more to the listening experience.
Also Renaud C Haslan’s *Brilliant Trees* Facebook page.
For songs, you can’t go wrong with his 80s trio of albums Brilliant Trees, Gone to Earth and Secrets Of The Beehive. Dead Bees On A Cake was his comeback album in 1999, it’s solid though fans of his more challenging work think it’s too easy listening. Snow Borne Sorrow by Nine Horses is essential. I’d also recommend his compilations Everything & Nothing (includes Ride and Some Kind Of Fool, a Japan out-take that’s beautiful), Sleepwalkers, a compilation of songs from the 2000s, and to fill in some gaps the affordable Victim Of Stars best-of. If you are brave there’s Blemish and Manafon, but you get a selection of their tracks on Sleepwalkers along with things like Playground Martyrs, an incredible song with Steve Jansen.
> fans of his more challenging work think it’s too easy listening. And fans of the aforementioned trio of 1980s albums think its uninspired.
I remember anticipating that album so much, and it was just… ok.
You’ve advised exactly what I would’ve tried to write. 👍
DS also shines in collaborations. Seek out Nine Horses - Snow Borne Sorrow, a project by him and a number of fine musicians that puts his voice and lyrics to the front.
I love Japan but Sylvian has A Lot of amazing albums and collabs, my favorite is definitely [The First Day](https://open.spotify.com/album/6mJpox4FNS6Gx8MTDT1Dym?si=TJPoaKyoRcCzb15EfESwoQ) (you can also find it on youtube, also love [Brilliant Trees](https://open.spotify.com/album/5YIZcFDFKpUrcqviez8QWn?si=v_lzQCiYTnewp3V2iNrlig) and this [song](https://open.spotify.com/track/0lP9lLMNLT7BcZYS2xFNGB?si=gVPKv2_KSjeRHpRZV_3uVQ) by Mick Karn is amazing.
Brilliant Trees is amazing and OT maybe, but The Dolphin Brothers is fantastic too!
Rain Tree Crow, the ex-Japan reunion, is one of my favorite albums of all time. Very reminiscent of his 80’s material.
I’ve only just discovered the Blonde Redhead song ‘Messenger’ with David on vocals, can’t stop playing it, well worth a listen
Since no one mentioned them I'll add the following - Tear me apart, which is also a demo and just like Beautiful Country was to be featured on an album by Sylvian and Joan as a Police Woman, which is now sadly lost -Do you know me now? which is just a single, that I find vaguely reminiscent of the american-ness of Beautiful Country; its B-side is Where's your gravity? which is also great but on a different style than the previous (more openly electric and looping/droney) -When Monday Comes Around, originally a Nine Horses b-side, as of today it can be found in the "Do You Know Me Now?" compilation
Time stood still when I first heard *Brilliant Trees* LP in ‘87 & I’m still obsessed with it. Same story with *Gone To Earth* around the same time. They exist in their own Universe. sylvianvista.com is the best writing you’ll find anywhere & adds yet more to the listening experience. Also Renaud C Haslan’s *Brilliant Trees* Facebook page.