One of my heroes since 40 years. His Voice.... uuuhhh... his sound an arrangements, the lyrics. Very underrated but a lot of loyal Fans.

English singer/songwriter/musician David Sylvian is kind of a cult figure, originally fronting the Art Rock band Japan. Japan also featured Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen on drums, and fretless bass wonder Mick Karn. Japan's style fused elements of Roxy Music and Japanese synth-Pop. By the time the band had created a unique sound and approach for their music, they were breaking up. A familiar story. ;) As a solo artist, Sylvian strikes me as an avant-garde crooner: his singing style has as much in common with 1950s Jazz lounge singers as anything else. But much of the music features atmospheres and textures that are more related to fusion-jazz and experimental Rock, even Ambient music. He has recorded with Robert Fripp (King Crimson), Bill Nelson (you reacted to his song "Glow World" a while ago), trumpeter Jon Hassell, flugelhorn player Mark Isham, Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Holger Czukay of the German band CAN. "Orpheus" has become a big fan favorite over the years. It's one of those songs about the artist's journey and struggles to find inspiration - much like David Bowie's "Sound and Vision". [In Greek mythology Orpheus was a renowned poet and musician.] One of the reasons I like Sylvian is that his persona and music are decidedly anti-Pop, even subversive. He's not in it for the money or the fame.

DAVID SYLVIAN APPRECIATER FOR 45 YEARS.... NEVER DISSAPOINTS.... SOMETIMES CHALLENGERS, BUT ALWAYS DELIVERS.... YES BRITISH....HE PAINTS PICTURES WITH WORDS.......WEAVES DREAMS OF OPTIMISIM FROM THE SHADOWS.....AND THE INSTRUMENTS ARE IN CONVERSATION WITH ONE ANOTHER.....SO MUCH MORE TO EXPLORE✨️🙌🙏🙌✨️🕊.

What a beautiful song..we rarely hear a delicate and expressive baritone. these fires never stop.

David Sylvian has one of my favourite voices ever. A very romantic lyrist too.

'Secrets of the Beehive' is genius. Great choise! My favourite!

Sylvian's group Japan is my favourite 80s band. Their album 'Tin drum' is a masterpiece imo. My fave Sylvian solo album would probably be 'Gone to earth'.

I found out about David Sylvian by his association with Robert Fripp and then I found Japan later on down the line. Great stuff that nobody will ever hear on the radio here in the US. It is rumored that he was once asked to front a revamped King Crimson in the early 90's. Now that would have been interesting.

I was lucky enough to see Japan on their 'Sons Of Pioneers' tour '81-'82, David Sylvian has been a firm favourite ever since... I believe that is now in retirement but I still hope for more... As a side note, David was once voted the most beautiful man in the world...

The world's most perfect songwriter. He is still recording. He was married to Prince protege Ingrid Chavez and they had children. He continues to be amazing

So much to say about David Sylvian. His fans are nuts, including myself. After local success with his band, Japan (which Duran Duran basically became a cover band of..), he got the best musicians from all over the world to make this amazingly cohesive album (front side story, then flip.. back side story).

Secrets of the Beehive is one of my favourite albums of all time. Please do more reactions to songs from this record. Let the Happiness In , Waterfront, The Boy with the Gun are also fantastic tracks off the album but the whole record is brilliant. Glad you guys loved it.. great reaction

I love the break in this,it’s like he has given you the first course,and the flugelhorn introduces desert

I like David, my favourite song "let the happiness in" is made to die immediately! Also brilliant trees, waterfront, wonderfull! Perhaps it leads you to Holger Czukay, they worked together, "Persian love" one of famous experimental pieces

I'm so pleased I stumbled across this reaction. David Sylvian, and his band before, Japan, is my favourite artist of all time. I've travelled the world since 1977 to see live performances. This song in particular is up there with my favourite songs of all time. His solo work is very poetical and you need to listen a few times just to hear and understand the lyrics. He's from Beckenham. Greater London. I don't get the Gilmour thing. But ears and brains are not all the same. Whilst this is from his solo work it must be mentioned that there are some fantastic musicians on this album that he worked with for most of his career. David Sylvian - vocals, acoustic guitar, synths. Ryuichi Sakamoto (sadly departed) - piano, synths. Steve Jansen (his brother and much underrated drummer ) - drums. Danny Thompson - double bass. Phil Palmer - slide guitar. Mark Isham - flugelhorn and on this track the wonderful arrangement by Brian Gascoigne. A special mention should also go out to Holger Czukay who also contributed a lot to David's work, though not on this track. Sylvian is not for everyone and some of his music flits between alternative jazz and avant garde but for me personally he's always been worth the effort. I used to constantly listen to him whilst I was reading and his songs are inextricably linked to my favourite books so much that When I read a book again I hear the music even though there is none. It's always great to see people discover his work for the first time and genuinely enjoy it. You got lucky with Orpheus though, something else might have been a bit more challenging. Fun random fact. He was voted the most beautiful man in the world in the early 80's and he hated that.

"Orpheus" is one of his more conventional songs, and SO lyrical. I have a bunch of David Sylvian collaborating with people such as Robert Fripp, Holger Czukay, and others to create experimental vocal and non-vocal ambient music. All excellent! BTW, he does not remind me of Gilmour, but maybe because I've listened to Sylvian since the mid 80's and Gilmour since the late 60's.

A voice that can melt chocolate!! If you can, check out "I Surrender" and thank me later.

Thanks for this reaction. David Sylvian is a British musician and singer who initially came to fame with the group “Japan” but eventually developed a solo career. He has often been compared to the singer with Roxy Music (Bryan Ferry) but better.

David started off in an excellent British band called Japan. He went solo around '83 I think and has had a very independent career writing music he wants heard rather than fall into pop megalomania, but he does have a very accessible quality without being obvious about it. And no, David Gilmour didn't come to mind although I can hear why you think their voices are similar.

I always come back to listen to David Sylvian, his music is just therapy

Great album and song! Glad you really enjoyed it!

No idea how many times I've listened to this song since it's release in 1987. It still hasn't aged and sounds as beautiful as ever. The whole "Secrets Of The Beehive" album is a wonderful, timeless listen. Oh and I think if David Gilmour tried to sing that deeply he'd probably pop one of two, maybe two...

Just perfection, like everything he touches (musically). The arrangements, the guest musicians, lyrics, mood, just brilliant!!

One of the most beautiful 'modern' songs ever written… 😢

Learned of David from his work with Ryiuchi Sakamoto, "world citizen " then discovered " dead bees on a cake"and fell in deep ,such a great and under appreciated artist especially in the US!

EXTRAS - Here's what Sylvian's band Japan sounded like in 1981: "Still Life in Mobile Homes" kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jd53o9ulnr7UfmQ.html And here's another popular Sylvian track (from 1999): "I Surrender" kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jZ2Fpr2cudXOY5s.html

The music is beautiful and his lyrics just flow or just trip from one word to the next as in "Bottles that tumble and crash on the stairs are just so many people I knew never cared!" A stunning song from the man!

I heard Japan first. Duran Duran was a pop copy

I like the moody trumpet solo.

One of the most instantly recognisable voices in music. I must say I can't hear much resemblance between his voice and David Gilmour's - at least in terms of timbre - although they are both *very* British. Interestingly, their backgrounds are very different: Gilmour is from a comfortable middle class family, while Sylvian (real name David Batt) is from very humble working class roots. There's a fantastic live version from a TV show somewhere in Europe, which I've linked to below - it might give you a hint as to why he was once dubbed "the most beautiful man in the world"! Cool af too, of course. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rZuKac17xNWdhp8.html

Beautiful.....the great Mark Isham on flugelhorn too.... David is English and has a very distinct timbre to his voice, also Ryuichi Sakamoto plays keys here.... loved this and your reactions guys thanks!

React to Swing by Japan. You're welcome. 👍

The woman reacting to this music is completely mesmerising ...she is the queen,

Orpheus is a renowned musician, poet and philosopher from Greek mythology. I think this song is primarily about going through the process of finding inspiration and creating a new work.

Gentleman take polaroids,swing,ghosts,nightporter,other side of life,quite life.all mastepieces from Japan..t

DS use to play with a band called Japan. Great band, the bass and drums are amazing. He use to sing differently, using a more affected style. His work with Ryuichi Sakamoto and with Robert Fripp is also amazing

Now you're going places. All of his solo work is incredible, the song writing, production and musicianship is top shelf. I've seen him a handful of times. Dream like state for hours. Do a deep dive, check out "Taking the Veil" off of Gone To Earth album. You should also listen to his previous band Japan, they were revolutionary. "Oils on Canvas" is a live record that has a ton of my favorites on it. ✌️ Ryuichi Sakamoto is on piano and synth. Look him up on the Wiki and his band YMO (yellow magic orchestra)

Never thought about David Gilmore, this is a masterpiece imo.

Never heard of this guy. Instant Fan !! :)

T-Shirt..... best, album cover........ ever.

I thought you were joking with that David Gilmour reference, I can´t hear it. One of the best and his band japan was the blue print for Duran Duran, took the sound, the looks and style but not the quality. You said you haven´t seen Sylvian, he was voted the most beautiful man sometime in the 80´s, he did not like that. I read his book and there he says how hard it was to be so beautiful, people didn´t take him seriously and he hated how easy it was for him to write hits. When he took his songs to the band and people said, "this is a hit!" He threw them away..... Still brilliant (trees)

Wow that’s quite a song.

David Sylvian worked together with Robert Fripp and with Holger Czukay (from Can). Also he did a nice Japan follow up project called "Rain Tree Crow" which consisted of all former band members: Sylvian, Mick Karn, Richard Barbieri ( later famous for his work with Porcupine Tree) and Steve Jansen. Their output without Sylvian, Jansen/Barbieri/Karn or only Jansen/Barbieri is also very exceptional and often experimental. And now I found myself listening to all this music again, I nearly have forgotten it, but thanks to you I have cleaned my copy of "secrets of the beehive" from dust and diving into it again. Btw, David S. absolutely don't look like David G., so sorry.

Amazing ❤

Yeah love this. Sounds like David Gilmour. 😃 Of course you say that after I comment. Need to start waiting til the end of the video. 😂

It's a great shame that the personal rift that developed between Sylvian and Mick Karn caused the end of Japan, just as they were making it big. There was a lot of juice left in that tank as the music that the members have produced since testifies. Sylvian turned away from the Japan music, but fans like me certainly haven't. Check out some of Japan's stuff as well as DS 's solo work. The album 'Quiet Life' was seminal and very influential. Brilliant Trees is, err, brilliant and showcases his excellent songwriting that made up most of Japan's songs.

They were born about 60 miles apart. Gilmour in cambridge and Sylvian in south London

David Sylvian review AND a Joy Division T Shirt: deux points.

Unequalled. EVER.

Please react to the Other Side of Life by Japan.

First time hearing this Easy on the ears! "Do people still make music like this?" ☹ We're hopeful, hearing snippets now and then. Some of the references mentioned - David Gilmore. Roxy Music...I'll add Phil Manzanera - the logical link to the two and even the 80s band Alphaville when they changed their style from synthpop to acoustic "The Breathtaking Blue" All good stuff! Thanks for posting this lovely piece of work!!

He is British.

It's just one of Sylvian's amazing songs. Other favourites for me are 'The Boy With The Gun' and 'Silver Moon', but there are plenty of others. His work with Ryuichi Sakamoto (RIP) rates amongst his best. I think Sylvian's 'retired' now (but he was always elusive and hermetic). Maybe he'll surprise us all with a new album. I hope so.

You are adorable...........;i'm 64 so i bought this record years ago in paris.i'm happy to see you discovering this masterpiece.........best regards from france

BEAUTIFUL 😍 MASTERPIECE 😅

"Forbidden colours" is probably the best known song in Europe when it comes to David Sylvian. My wife can't stand his depressive voice though, but I love to listen to him when the time is right.

sylvian - i equate his genius equal to bowie. he does everything on his terms and always under the radar. i love the man and all his work.

try c duncan's "he came from the sun". thank you!

He sounds like David Gilmoure ????? well.... in that case the lyrics where written by rammstein.

David G and David S are both Pisceans. Maybe a moody broody vibe between them?

My question is why would an indie synth-pop artist suddenly change to world class studio session musicians for his first solo album? Sting did shit like this, but more commercial. David Sylvian did this for himself, seems like.

Can't hear anything nearly close to David Gilmour in those vocals. A bit of Scott Walker though. This whole album is excellent, it's hard to believe it was released in the god-awful eighties, when almost everyone else was screwing it up. (For some a bit more challenging latter-day Sylvian, check out "The Rabbit Skinner".)

If you like this one, check damage a sad song but so, so beautifull.

Good one. Mr Sylvian is probably only guilty of being second to Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music.

David Gilmour has a more Blues based dragged out voice. A bit more vibrato as it were. You could compare to Bryan Ferry but Ferry is also blues based although less laconic than Gilmour. I guess being from Hartigay , Sylvian’s closer to David Bowie and Siouxsie Sioux or Brett Anderson but with his brother Steve Jansen they grew up with softer voices than their band mates whom they grew up with, esp Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn whom sound more like Michael Caine. As to similar contemporary musicians , check out Low roar and Lo Moon.

Is the guy listening to another song? Looking weird.

The David G reference is rubbish, they sound absolutely nothing alike, it's their accents that are similar only.

First heard this guy in the English "New wave" band Japan. Nobody outside the country of Japan liked them much. They're main focus was effeminate clothing and hair do's. Music was secondary.. What I've heard since by him, musically is just the same. Reminds me of Tom Waits, aping and mimicking others without adding anything.

This is boring! When we gonna hear more Paw!

Wearing a Joy Division T-shirt makes you so cool