Despite the fact that just two years had passed since his first solo record, David Sylvian released an outstanding new album of unprecedented integrity and strength. Testing the waters with "Brilliant Trees" and pursuing the experimental nature of the work on "Alchemy" must certainly have contributed to the first full testimony of Sylvian's inspired style: the captivating unity of beautiful melodies, intricate arrangements and emotional voice. Even if the inspiration behind "Taking The Veil" (a track of uncommon bass-lines and superb performance from Robert Fripp) stems from the old Japan days, the tracks following it - "Laughter And Forgetting" (wonderful, lyrical dialogue between piano and flugelhorn), "Before The Bullfight" (obligatory shivers sent up the spine with every word, sound or phrase) or "Wave", all introduce us to David Sylvian at his creative best. The record is filled with sublime sonic gems clashing with powerful drum patterns. Despite the density of arrangements, the music feels extremely spacious. "Before The Bullfight" is a truly mesmerizing piece which for many listeners forms the axis of "Gone To Earth" (a claim not easy to overrule given the sheer beauty of the song) but it would be unjust not to give due credit to such a treasure as "Silver Moon". Although different in character than its aforementioned counterpart one cannot fail to be enchanted by its melodic lightness. The nature of the pieces included on the second disc instantly brings to mind the works of Brian Eno or Daniel Lanois. It has to be stressed, however, that in all cases they undoubtedly fall beyond the category of pointless instrumental sketches. Rather apart from being an exciting collection of brief soundscapes, they are an attempt to bring Sylvian's ethereal musical backgrounds into the limelight. Due to their open nature and the ability to resonate strongly within listener's inner-self, it is quite difficult to single-out one particular piece. The last one, however, certainly deserves mentioning. Its simple structure based on a progression of just a few chords forms a beautiful backdrop for Robert Fripp's unmistakable soaring guitar phrases preceded by a recitation of Robert Graves' "The Foreboding" - a moving depiction of out-of-body experience - an intangible moment in which the soul temporarily escapes our corporeal self... It is hard to resist the thought that for that brief moment the soul remains suspended among those delicate notes of which only the last one manages to bring it down and lock it away in that mortal coil. The album was promoted with singles "Taking The Veil" and "Silver Moon" released the same year. "Answered Prayers" and "Gone To Earth" emerged here as their respective B-sides. Both singles in their 12'' versions were expanded by inclusion of two instrumental pieces available only on the full, double-CD edition of the album ("A Bird Of Prey Vanishes Into A Bright Blue Cloudless Sky" plus "Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples"). [  back to the top