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THE REVIEW
Ordering a record makes its purchase more solemn, especially if it's the latest work of one of your favorite artists.
"It's here!" the clerk told me yesterday over the phone. So, I got up early this morning and at 9:00 sharp I was in front of the store.
The cover immediately makes me smile, a drawing by Atsushi Fukui depicting David Sylvian dressed somewhat like an Armani model, I didn't get it!
I quickly go back home for the first listen.
I didn't expect a new record from David Sylvian, to be honest. I was convinced that after "Dead Bees on a Cake" and the anthology "Everything and Nothing" he didn't have much to say anymore, but I was completely wrong.
I would like to start cooking and listening, but I can't, the first track "Blemish" captivates me, I have to sit down. His always warm and enveloping voice almost recites a litany over hypnotic electronic distortions for 13 wonderful minutes. He sings about love, of course, his favorite theme.
It continues with the even more minimalistic "The Good Son" and "The Only Daughter," sparse and electric.
Perhaps by the penultimate track, one starts becoming a little unsettled by the distorted sounds and the imposing vocal presence, but Sylvian, masterfully, closes with the most melodic piece of the album, "A Fire In The Forest," the only one that might perhaps reconnect us to his previous work.
Research and experimentation, his great passions, are at their peak. There is little, very little space left for melody, but the result is exceptional.
Additionally important is the fact that perhaps for the first time there are no excellent collaborations, Sylvian is now a mature and confident man, then.
It will take time and many listens to delve into the intricacies of this minimalistic work and synthesis in black and white, but I wanted to share the first strong impression.
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Summary by Bot
The reviewer was surprised and captivated by David Sylvian's album Blemish, highlighting its minimalistic and experimental nature. The music focuses on electronic distortions and Sylvian's warm vocals, exploring love with a mature, understated approach. Despite minimal melody and collaborations, the album impresses as a confident artistic statement. Listening to it is described as an intimate and immersive experience requiring time and focus.Tracklist Videos
David Sylvian
David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt) is an English singer-songwriter and former leader of the band Japan who developed a solo career spanning art rock, ambient and experimental music. He is known for a distinctive baritone voice and collaborations with artists such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Robert Fripp.28 Reviews
Other reviews
By vanamente
Blemish is nothing more than a pure exercise of style for an artist who now loves hearing his own voice to the point of losing himself.
David Sylvian doesn’t have an overflowing ego; he has an ego that spills over from everywhere and that unfortunately has definitively contaminated even his being an artist.
By Enkriko
There are albums and there are tortures, the most monstrous and inconceivable ones.
An album that is a mix of moaning dragged out to nausea... ad nauseam, ad nauseam clear?
