Forbidden colors...
- Nostra Dam
- May 14
- 11 min read
Updated: May 15
David Sylvian, whose real name is David Batt, is an English singer-songwriter best known as the iconic lead singer of the band Japan.
Formed in 1974, the band released no fewer than five acclaimed albums between 1978 and 1981.
His solo career began in 1982 with the release of his first Single, "Bamboo Houses," with Ryuichi Sakamoto. This Single brought him immediate and significant success.
But it was their subsequent collaboration that truly set the world ablaze in 1983 with the sublime "Forbidden Colors," a flagship track in his discography, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence'.
His debut album, "Brilliant Trees," was released a year later in 1984 and perfectly confirmed the prevailing trend : the artist was indeed one of the hottest new talents of the moment. The album's biggest hit was the track "Red Guitar."
Two years later, in 1986, came the album "Gone to Earth," less successful than its predecessor but still a decent success, thanks in particular to the track "Taking the Veil."
The following year, in 1987, "Secrets of the Beehive" was released, an album that saw the artist's success wane somewhat. It barely managed to stay afloat thanks to the Single "Let the Happiness In."
It would be 12 years before the release of his new album, "Dead Bees on a Cake," twelve long years during which the artist sank into a deep depression. This depression literally prevented him from working alone and forced him to resort to numerous collaborative projects to maintain some semblance of a presence.
This new album allowed the artist to get back in the game, at least partially, thanks in particular to the Single "I Surrender."
Other albums and Singles followed, but none could match the level of success achieved by their predecessors during the 80s. The artist also took the opportunity to participate in numerous collaborative projects, with varying degrees of success.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Bamboo houses 1982
Good night (Akiko Yano) 1982
Forbidden colors 1983
Red guitar 1984
The ink in the well 1984
Pulling punches 1984
Words with the shaman Part 2 (Incantation) 1985
Preparations for a journey 1985
Taking the veil 1986
Silver moon 1986
Before the bullfight 1986
Some small hope (Virginia Astley) 1986
Buoy 1987
When love walks in 1987
Let the happiness in 1987
The boy with the gun 1987
Orpheus 1988
Plight & Premonition 1988
Flux & Mutability 1989
Pop song 1989
90s Decade :
The beekeeper’s apprentice 1991
Blackwater 1991
Heartbeat 1992
Cloud #9 1992
To a reason (Hector Zazou) 1992
A victim of stars (Hector Zazou) 1992
Jean the Birdman 1993
Darshan (The road to Graceland) 1993
Every colour you are 1994
Wave 1994
Come morning (Nicola Alesini/Pier Luigi Andreoni) 1995
The golden way (Nicola Alesini/Pier Luigi Andreoni) 1995
Maya (Nicola Alesini/Pier Luigi Andreoni) 1995
Ti ho aspettato (I have waited for you) (André Chimenti) 1996
How safe is deep ? (Russell Mills) 1996
I surrender 1999
Darkest dreaming 1999
Café Europa 1999
Room of the sixteen shimmers 1999
2000s Decade :
Ride 2000
Zero landmine (N.M.L.) 2001
Sugarfuel (Readymade FC) 2001
Linoleum (Tweaker) 2001
The healing place 2002
Answered prayers 2002
Blemish 2003
The heart knows better 2003
World citizen (I won’t be disappointed) 2004
Transit (Fennesz) 2004
Pure genius (Tweaker) 2004
Exit (Takagi Masakatsu) 2004
For the love of life 2004
Messenger (Blonde Redhead) 2004
A fire in the forest (Readymade FC) 2005
Matière pensante (Hector Zazou) 2005
Wonderful World (Nine Horses) 2005
Darkest brids (Nine Horses) 2005
A history of holes (Nine Horses) 2005
The librarian (Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit) 2006
Angels (Punkt) 2006
When loud weather buffeted Noashima 2007
Playground martyrs (Steve Jansen) 2007
Ballad of a deadman (Steve Jansen) 2007
Money for all (Nine Horses) 2007
Get the hell out (Nine Horses) 2007
Honor wishes (Joan As Police Woman) 2008
No question (Joan As Police Woman) 2008
Before and afterlife (Arve Henriksen) 2008
Thermal (Arve Henriksen) 2008
Jacqueline 2009
Small metal gods 2009
Manafon 2009
2010s Decade :
Nothing is happening everywhere (LAND) 2012
Saffron laudanum 2012
Trauma ward 2012
Do you know me now ? 2013
Where’s your gravity ? 2013
Modern interior 2015
Life, life 2017
2020s Decade :
Grains 2022
Aventure Japan :
Tracks :
1982...the huge Japan adventure is over, now comes the time for a solo career. It remains to be seen whether the singer will manage to achieve the same success alone as he did with others...
1982...a year clearly marked by diverse and varied collaborations with artists from the Land of the Rising Sun...
1983...and it's THIS new collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto on the soundtrack for the film 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence' that will change everything ! A new collaboration, and what a collaboration it is ! The two artists will deliver here quite simply one of the most beautiful scores of the late 20th century, no less. A MAS-TER-PIE-CE !
1984...it was impossible for this title to compete with its predecessor, as the bar had been set so high. It would therefore have to be content with the few crumbs left by the latter...
1984...the same goes for this one and especially for all those that followed. Let's not kid ourselves, the artist will never manage to repeat the incredible feat achieved with 'Forbidden Colors'...
1984... which doesn't mean that what he continues to produce will lack interest, far from it. And he'll produce plenty more titles, believe me...
1985... he would produce many songs with vocals, but he would also delve into pure instrumental music. Here's a concrete example...
1985...purely instrumental music that will not remain his most acclaimed musical production, but it at least has the merit of existing...
1986...a return to the forefront of the music scene thanks to this new song, this time with vocals. Even though the Singles achieved limited success, the albums they came from were guaranteed worldwide hits...
1986...a global success which clearly demonstrates that the artist has succeeded in his gamble to go it alone. The opposite would have been truly astonishing...
1986... a track that wasn't officially released as a Single, but it would have been a shame to overlook it. Here it is, brought back into the spotlight as it deserves...
1986...he would multiply his diverse and varied collaborations during this decade of the 80s and this time we find him alongside Virginia Astley...
1987...then alongside his old Japan bandmate Mick Karn. Two partners who clashed during the band's final years but who managed to reconcile afterward...
1987...given their respective talents, it would have been a real shame if they hadn't managed to collaborate on personal projects afterwards. And that's exactly what happened...
1987...a solo comeback with this new album. A new album that confirms once again that the artist continues his global journey in impressive fashion on the charts...
1987...as before, the Singles are getting significantly less attention, but no matter, the essential is preserved as they say...
1988...surprisingly, this track went somewhat unnoticed, even though it's far from unworthy. But it's clear that the artist's style didn't allow his tracks to compete as effectively as they should have with the competition...
1988...a new collaboration, primarily instrumental, on this new album. It's understood that in these cases, the album's reach will be limited, to say the least...
1989...instrumental music that will inevitably only reach a limited audience. But that doesn't seem to bother him too much at first glance...
1989...an 80s decade that ended with a song, a way of getting back in the public eye. And so it did, but in a very limited way...
1991...back again in instrumental mode. He loves alternating between vocal and instrumental styles, and regardless of the consequences in the charts, it's undeniable...
1991...another track that will not be officially released as a Single, but it would have been a shame not to bring it back into the spotlight as it deserves...
1992...a new decade of the 90s that begins quietly but surely with this new hit Single. Everything is under control at this stage...
1992...he collaborated many times with the Japanese Master and even if all their collaborations did not have the same level of success, none of them were without merit in any case...
1992...a new collaboration, this time with Hector Zazou. Nothing extraordinary, but original as always...
1992... his entire career has been a privileged playground for diverse and varied musical experiments. We can't remake him as they say...
1993...and now here he is with Robert Fripp. A collaboration that will inevitably be much more focused on the pop-rock side...
1993...in any case, their collaboration did not go unnoticed, far from it. At least in England and Sweden, which is already quite something...
1993...no major hits, admittedly, but good work nonetheless. In any case, it's a meeting of two decidedly original universes...
1994...this new album will go largely unnoticed, but it will have reunited the two artists once again, much to the delight of their respective fans...
1994...an album that's undeniably a bit more experimental than their previous one. Sylvian's touch has clearly taken precedence over Fripp's...
1995...collaborations followed one another at a breakneck pace, to say the least. And each time, they moved from one musical universe to another...
1995... he loves exploring new musical avenues, a trademark he will maintain until the end of his career...
1995...with varying degrees of success each time, but he tries nonetheless. A near-constant drive to innovate in a truly exceptional artist...
1996...and yet another collaboration ! A decade in the 90s where he collaborated more than he produced for himself, a surprising paradox...
1996...after that, perhaps he enjoys collaborating as much as producing solo. To each their own, as they say...
1999...a solo comeback at the very end of the 90s. For now, the level of success in the charts remains significant, which can only be reassuring for what's to come...
1999...an adventure that doesn't seem likely to end anytime soon, and which therefore holds some wonderful surprises in store for us, we imagine...
1999...what's also certain is that he's increasingly distancing himself from current musical trends. A bold gamble, as they say, and a somewhat risky one...
1999...a new collaboration, just the way he likes them. In these cases, he's not necessarily looking for success, but undeniably for originality...
2000... a track that will appear on a mega compilation by the artist, but whose release date is difficult to pinpoint. In any case, it would be a shame not to bring this track back into the spotlight...
2001...the inseparable duo. They keep coming back year after year, decade after decade. A particularly prolific collaboration between the two men...
2001...and now here he is alongside Readymade FC. A diverse and varied series of collaborations that consistently produce truly astonishing tracks...
2001...a particularly successful title which proves de facto that the adventure is far from over and that quality and originality can go hand in hand...
2002...an originality found in every work, whether solo or collaborative. A truly exceptional artist in every respect...
2002...an originality that marginalizes regardless, because the general public has trouble following at certain times, it's inevitable...
2003...especially on albums like this one. The artist is clearly enjoying himself, but it's at the expense of achieving wider recognition...
2003...because there we are really approaching the experimental, and with it the line is often thin between what can be fathomed and what cannot be fathomed...
2004...we find the two friends again, as always determined to do good work. They only reached Nirvana once together, but everything else was equally impressive, far from it...
2004...cross-functional projects, just the way he likes them, and which will always be his defining characteristic. He has a truly irrepressible desire to collaborate...
2004...but who could blame him for constantly seeking originality in all its forms ? Not many people, that's for sure...
2004... that doesn't necessarily mean he always hits his mark. But overall, all his collaborations have been successful...
2004... he even contributed to the soundtrack of a manga, namely 'Monster'. A lovely track, full of subtlety and lightness, just as he knows so well how to create...
2004... he truly impresses with the number of collaborative projects he has participated in. A leading figure in the field, as they say...
2005...projects kept coming one after another, and he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. And it looked like it would continue like this for some time to come...
2005...when you add up the Japan discography and his own discography, whether solo or collaborative, the result is frankly most impressive...
2005...few artists of his generation can boast of having succeeded as well in group mode as in solo mode, that's clear...
2005...the hardest part for him now will be not to fall too far behind the latest musical trends...
2005...because the gap between him and the competition widens year after year, decade after decade. Originality at all costs is all well and good, but still...
2006...because if he wants to continue to last at least a little while, he's going to have to reconnect with the younger generation...
2006...otherwise his isolation risks seriously harming him in the long run. Talent also means knowing how to adapt to circumstances and situations...
2007...in any case, it's worth remembering that he started his career in the late 70s and his longevity in the profession is quite remarkable...
2007...few artists of his generation are still active and for that reason alone we can only applaud the fact that he is still somewhat in the game...
2007...admittedly at the very back of the pack, but still. And his determination to never give up until the very end commands undeniable respect...
2007...so he will have gone through the 70s, then the 80s, then the 90s and he is now entering the second half of the 2000s. Quite a long run !
2007...exceptional longevity reserved, as always, for the most gifted of each generation. The others, however, have long since disappeared...
2008...even if sometimes his appearances on certain tracks are very fleeting, as is the case here, it doesn't change the fact that he is indeed involved...
2008...and any contribution, however small, is worth noting, as they say. It certainly shows that the artist is still active in one way or another...
2008...nothing and no one can stop him at this stage, at least. He always manages to find, at some point, one or more new partners to continue the adventure a little longer...
2008...with each new release we think it might be the last, and each time he manages to find us a new collaboration...
2009... he manages to find it, certainly, but it's also possible that someone will come looking for him, it works both ways. Because his very particular world is bound to interest people...
2009...certainly, we don't go looking for him to make dance music, that's for sure, but his ability to explore new musical avenues undeniably has value...
2009...the 2000s decade drawing to a close quietly but surely. We imagine we'll see him again in the following decade, the question remains with what new project...
2012...as expected, here he is again, faithful to his post as always. Will he manage to maintain such an intense level of productivity as in the past ? Good question...
2012...because it would be a real feat if he succeeded, in any case. We suspect that at some point his inspiration will inevitably begin to wane in one way or another...
2012...it's difficult for an artist, however talented, to maintain the same level of inspiration from the beginning of their career to the end, perhaps even impossible...
2013...it's inevitable, all artists who last go through rough patches at this stage. Some bounce back, others don't...
2013...only time will tell which category he will fall into. A slow but irreversible decline or maintenance at a constant and sustainable level. Hmm...
2015...we would like it to last as long as possible, but only him knows where he really stands...
2017...for now at least, he manages to maintain a sufficient level of productivity to still be talked about, at least a little...
2022...or so we hoped. Because five years will separate this title from the previous one, and it's possible that the slow but irreversible gradual disappearance is indeed underway...
Top Bonus : 1984...who could have imagined for a single second that he would also be behind this title which will remain one of the most significant of the decade...
Top Bonus : and here is the huge final version that we all know and that would bring fame and fortune to the group Propaganda in 1985
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Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :
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