Manafon
Studio album by
David Sylvian
Released14 September 2009
Recordedbetween 2004–2007 in Vienna, Tokyo, London
GenreAvant-garde
Length49:48
LabelSamadhi Sound
ProducerDavid Sylvian
David Sylvian chronology
When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima
(2007)		 Manafon
(2009)		 Sleepwalkers
(2010)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
musicOMH[3]
Pitchfork7.4/10[4]
Slant Magazine[5]
Uncut[6]

Manafon is the seventh full-length studio album by David Sylvian, released on 14 September 2009 by the Samadhisound label. It is an avant-garde work combining elements of free improvisation, experimental rock and chamber music. It reached rank No. 6 in The Wire's list of best 2009 albums.[7]

Production

Manafon was recorded over a three-year period in Vienna, Tokyo and London. Of the recording process, Sylvian said:

"There was nothing written when we went into the studio – this was very much free improvisation. So, the selection of the group of musicians for each improvisation was paramount. I recognized on the day which pieces could work for me. The process was that I took the material away and then wrote and recorded the vocal line over in a couple of hours. So I couldn't analyze my contribution and that in a way was my form of improvisation – and I enjoyed the rapidity of response."[8]

"I take the sessions and work on them at a later time. I attempt to 'improvise' lyrics and melodies as I go, writing and recording all in a matter of hours. The basic tracks themselves undergo little or no editing as such. The structure pretty much remains as given from the original sessions. I might add an introduction or overdub other elements onto the original take. Here's a couple of examples: "Senseless Violence": Recorded in Vienna with Rowe/Polwechsel/Fennesz. I added guitar parts then layered Tilbury's piano into the track then added the vocal and an introduction. "Greatest Living Englishman: Initial take" suggested acoustic guitar overdubs which I requested of Otomo and Tetuzi on the spot. I later cut and pasted some interesting turntable activity from an alternate take onto this track. I also added an introduction by cutting and pasting elements from an earlier take. Tilbury was added to the coda. Melody and vocal added. "Rabbit Skinner": no editing. added acoustic guitar myself then vocals."[9]

Lyrical inspiration

For the recording of Manafon, Sylvian was also inspired by the Welsh poet R. S. Thomas: lyrics often reflect the main themes written by the poet and the title of the album refers indeed to a Welsh namesake village (in north Powys) in which Thomas lived for a while.

"Manafon is indeed a village in Wales, a village in which Thomas lived for sometime and served as rector to the parish. In this small village, Thomas had trouble filling the pews of a Sunday but in a sense it was something of an idyllic spot in which to raise a child (a strict, taciturn and somewhat indifferent parent), master his profession and write his poetry. So, the physically real village became for me a metaphor for the poetic imagination."[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David Sylvian

No.TitleLength
1."Small Metal Gods"5:49
2."The Rabbit Skinner"4:41
3."Random Acts of Senseless Violence"7:06
4."The Greatest Living Englishman"10:55
5."125 Spheres"0:29
6."Snow White in Appalachia"6:35
7."Emily Dickinson"6:25
8."The Department of Dead Letters"2:25
9."Manafon"5:23
Total length:49:48
Vinyl and Japanese CD bonus track
No.TitleLength
10."Random Acts of Senseless Violence" (Remixed by Dai Fujikura)6:24
Total length:56:12

A limited edition boxed set came with a DVD of the album in 5.1 Surround Sound, and a feature-length making-of documentary, Amplified Gesture.

Personnel

Musicians

  • David Sylvian – vocals (all tracks except 8), acoustic guitar (2), keyboards (3, 6), electronics (5, 7, 8)
  • Christian Fennesz – laptop, guitar (exc. 4)
  • Werner Dafeldecker – acoustic bass (1, 3, 5, 6, 9)
  • Michael Moser – cello (1, 3, 6, 9)
  • Toshimaru Nakamura – no input mixer (1, 4)
  • Otomo Yoshihide – turntables (1, 3, 4), acoustic guitar (right channel) (4)
  • Burkhard Stangl – guitar (1, 5)
  • John Tilbury – piano (2–4, 6–8)
  • Evan Parker – saxophone (2, 7, 8)
  • Joel Ryan – tape signal processing (2, 7, 8)
  • Marcio Mattos – cello (2, 8)
  • Keith Rowe – guitar (3, 6, 9)
  • Franz Hautzinger – trumpet (3, 9)
  • Tetuzi Akiyama – electric and acoustic guitar (left channel) (4)
  • Sachiko M. – sine waves (4)

Production

  • David Sylvian – production, engineering, mixing, art direction
  • Additional engineers: Christoph Amann (Vienna), Toshihiko Kasai (Tokyo), Sebastian Lexer, Neil Tucker (London)
  • Yuka Fujii – art direction
  • Chris Bigg – design
  • Atsushi Fukui – David Sylvian portrait and related drawings
  • Ruud van Empel – cover artworks (Study in Green N° 1, 5, 8 (2003), Study in Green N° 16 (2004) courtesy Flatland Gallery, Utrecht)

Special thanks to: Richard Chadwick, Yuka Fujii, Adrian Molloy, Chris Bigg, Sarah Humphries, Steve Jansen, Noël Akchoté, Philipp Wachsmann and all the musicians who generously participated in this recording.

References

  1. ↑ "Manafon by David Sylvian". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. ↑ MusicOMH review
  4. ↑ "David Sylvian: Manafon Album Review – Pitchfork". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Music – Slant Magazine". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  6. ↑ "UNCUT – The spiritual home of great rock music". Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  7. ↑ Cf. the official David Sylvian website Retrieved 1 March 2012
  8. 1 2 Sharma, Paul (11 September 2009). "David Sylvian and the Mysterious Sound of Inspiration – WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  9. ↑ "A Conversation". Manafon.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
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