David Sylvian discography

Discography

David Sylvian discography

Sylvian in November 1982

Studio albums| 9
EPs| 6
Compilation albums| 5
Singles| 15
Video albums| 6
Music videos| 9
Collaborative albums| 9
Remix albums| 2
Box sets| 1

This is the discography for the British musician/singer-songwriter David Sylvian as a solo artist. For information about the discography of Japan, see Japan discography.

## Albums

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart positions  | Certifications

|
|
|

[1] | AUS
[2] | BE (FL)
[3] | GER
[4] | IT
[5][6] | JPN
[7] | NL
[8] | NOR
[9] | NZ
[10] | SWE
[11]
Brilliant Trees |

* Released: 25 June 1984
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, LP, MC

| 4  | 96  | —  | —  | 23  | 16  | 7  | —  | 37  | 33  |

* UK: Gold[12]

Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities |

* Released: 9 December 1985
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: MC

| —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  |
Gone to Earth |

* Released: 1 September 1986
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, 2xLP, MC

| 24  | 94  | —  | —  | 22  | 52  | 6  | —  | 46  | 30  |

* UK: Silver[12]

Secrets of the Beehive |

* Released: 19 October 1987
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, LP, MC

| 37  | 91  | —  | —  | 19  | 61  | 31  | —  | —  | 46  |
Dead Bees on a Cake |

* Released: 29 March 1999
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, MC, MD

| 31  | —  | 44  | 64  | 20  | —  | 66  | 21  | —  | 52  |
Blemish |

* Released: 3 May 2003
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| —  | —  | —  | —  | 58  | 199  | —  | —  | —  | —  |
When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima |

* Released: 6 August 2007
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

| —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  |
Manafon |

* Released: 14 September 2009
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

| 112[13] | —  | 63  | —  | 51  | —  | 93  | —  | —  | 50  |
There's a Light That Enters Houses with No Other House in Sight |

* Released: 24 November 2014
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

| —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

### Collaborative albums

[edit]

#### With Holger Czukay

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[1] | BE
[3] | NL
[8]
Plight & Premonition |

* Released: 21 March 1988
* Label: Venture
* Formats: CD, LP, MC

| 71  | 130[A] | 171[A]
Flux + Mutability |

* Released: 4 September 1989
* Label: Venture, Virgin
* Formats: CD, LP, MC

| —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Notes

1. ^ a b Charted upon re-release by Grönland Records in 2018 as a repackaged 2-CD set[14]

#### With Russell Mills

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

Ember Glance: The Permanence of Memory |

* Released: 4 November 1991
* Label: Venture, Virgin
* Formats: CD

#### With Robert Fripp

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[1] | SWE
[11]
The First Day |

* Released: 5 July 1993
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, 2xLP, MC

| 21  | 34
Darshan (The Road to Graceland) |

* Released: 6 December 1993
* Label: Virgin
* Remix album
* Formats: CD, LP, MC

| —  | —
Damage: Live |

* Released: 26 September 1994
* Label: Virgin
* Live album
* Formats: CD

| —  | —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

#### With Nine Horses

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart
positions

|
|

[15] | IT
[16]
Snow Borne Sorrow |

* Released: 17 October 2005
* Label: Samadhi Sound

| 137  | 23
Money for All |

* Released: 22 January 2007
* Label: Samadhi Sound
* Mini-album / EP

| —  | —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

#### With Jan Bang, Erik Honoré, Arve Henriksen and Sidsel Endresen

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

Uncommon Deities |

* Released: 24 September 2012[17]
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD

#### With Stephan Mathieu

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

Wandermüde |

* Released: 10 December 2012
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

#### With Rhodri Davies and Mark Wastell

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

There Is No Love |

* Released: 31 May 2017[18]
* Label: Confront Recordings
* Mini-album
* Formats: CD

### Compilation albums

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart positions

|
|

[1] | BE
[3] | IT
[6] | NL
[8]
Approaching Silence |

* Released: 5 October 1999
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD

| —  | —  | —  | —
Everything and Nothing |

* Released: 9 October 2000
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: 2xCD, 2xMC, 2xMD

| 57  | —  | 45  | —
Camphor |

* Released: 27 May 2002
* Label: Venture, Virgin
* Formats: 2xCD, MC

| 99  | —  | —  | —
Sleepwalkers |

* Released: 21 September 2010
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD

| 104[13] | 89  | 87  | 76
A Victim of Stars 1982–2012 |

* Released: 27 February 2012
* Label: Virgin/EMI
* Formats: 2xCD, digital download

| 58  | 62  | 64  | 99
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

### Remix albums

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart
positions

|
|

[6]
The Good Son vs. The Only Daughter |

* Released: 7 February 2005
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

| —
Died in the Wool – Manafon Variations |

* Released: 18 May 2011
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: 2xCD, digital download

| 98
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released n that territory.

### Box sets

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Notes

|
|

Weatherbox |

* Released: 13 November 1989[19]
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: 5xCD

| Limited edition release featuring Sylvian's studio releases to that point, with the instrumental half of Gone to Earth presented in its entirety on one disc.

## EPs

[edit]

Title  | Details  | Peak chart
positions

|
|

[1]
Forbidden Colours / Nightporter |

* Released: 1983
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: 12"
* Germany-only release

* "Forbidden Colours" is by Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, whilst "Nightporter" is by Japan

| —
Words with the Shaman |

* Released: 2 December 1985
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: 12"

| 72
Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II) (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) |

* Released: 1 June 1992
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: CD, MC

| 58
Godman |

* Released: 6 September 1999
* Label: Venture, Virgin
* Formats: CD

| —
World Citizen (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) |

* Released: 8 October 2003 (Japan); 21 April 2004 (UK)
* Label: Warner (Japan); Samadhisound (UK)
* Formats: CD, digital download

| —
Playing the Schoolhouse |

* Released: 10 October 2015
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: CD, digital download

| —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

## Singles

[edit]

Single  | Year  | Peak chart positions  | Album

|
|
|

[20][21] | AUS
[22][23] | FRA
[24] | ICE
[25] | IRE
[26] | JPN
[27]
"Bamboo Houses" / "Bamboo Music" (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 1982  | 30  | —  | —  | —  | —  | 63  | Non-album single
"Forbidden Colours" (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 1983  | 16  | 29  | 24  | 1  | 15  | 32  | Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence soundtrack
"Red Guitar"  | 1984  | 17  | —  | —  | —  | 13  | —  | Brilliant Trees
"The Ink in the Well"  | 36  | —  | —  | —  | 28  | —
"Pulling Punches"  | 56  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
"Taking the Veil"  | 1986  | 53  | —  | —  | —  | 28  | —  | Gone to Earth
"Silver Moon"  | 83  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
"Buoy" (Mick Karn featuring David Sylvian) | 1987  | 63  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters
"Let the Happiness In"  | 66  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | Secrets of the Beehive
"Orpheus"  | 1988  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
"Pop Song"  | 1989  | 83  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | Non-album single
"Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)" (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 1992  | 58  | 69  | —  | —  | —  | —  | Heartbeat
"Jean the Birdman" (with Robert Fripp) | 1993  | 68  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | The First Day
"I Surrender"  | 1999  | 40  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | Dead Bees on a Cake
"World Citizen" (with Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 2003  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | 34  | Non-album singles
"Do You Know Me Now?"  | 2013  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

## Videos

[edit]

### Video albums

[edit]

Title  | Details

|

Preparations for a Journey |

* Released: 21 February 1985
* Label: Victor
* Formats: VHS, Betamax
* Japan-only release

Steel Cathedrals |

* Released: 14 December 1985
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: VHS
* Limited release

Red Guitar / The Ink in the Well / Silver Moon |

* Released: January 1987
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: VHS, LaserDisc

Weatherbox |

* Released: August 1989
* Label: Virgin
* Formats: VHS
* Promotional release

Live in Japan (with Robert Fripp)  |

* Released: 4 December 1994
* Label: VAP
* Formats: VHS, LaserDisc
* Japan-only release

Amplified Gesture |

* Released: 23 January 2013
* Label: Samadhisound
* Formats: DVD

### Music videos

[edit]

Title  | Year

|

"Bamboo Music"  | 1982
"Forbidden Colours"  | 1983
"Red Guitar"  | 1984
"The Ink in the Well"
"Pulling Punches"
"Silver Moon"  | 1986
"Orpheus"  | 1988
"Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)"  | 1992
"I Surrender"  | 1999

## Contributions

[edit]

Year  | Song  | Artist  | Album  | Contribution

|
|
|
|

1982  | "Good Night"  | Akiko Yano | Ai Ga Nakucha Ne | Vocals[28]
"Kanashikute Yarikirenai"  | Guitar
"Demain"  | Pierre Barouh | Le Pollen | Spoken words
"Le Pollen"  | Spoken words in conversation[29]
"Living on the Front Line"  | Sandii & the Sunsetz | Immigrants | Backing vocals, synthesizer, lyrics[29]
"Where the Fire Still Burns"  | Backing vocals, lyrics
"Illusion"
1983  | "Forbidden Colours"  | David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Vocals, lyrics
1985  | "p:Machinery"  | Propaganda | A Secret Wish | Keyboard
1986  | "This is Not Enough"  | Sandii & The Sunsetz  | La La La La Love~Banzai Baby | Backing vocals, keyboards, lyrics, music
"Some Small Hope"  | Virginia Astley | Hope in a Darkened Heart | Vocals
"Buoy"  | Mick Karn featuring David Sylvian  | Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters by Mick Karn  | Vocals, lyrics
"When Love Walks In"  | Mick Karn
"Land"  | Additional keyboards
1987  | "Perfect Days"  | Masami Tsuchiya | Life in Mirrors | Electric guitar, piano
1992  | "Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II) – Returning to the Womb"  | David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Ingrid Chavez | Heartbeat by Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Vocals, lyrics, music
"Cloud #9"  | Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Vocals, lyrics
"First Evening"  | Hector Zazou | Sahara Blue | Guitar
"Ophélie"  | Music
"Youth"  | Guitar
"Sahara Blue"  | Walkie-talkie vocals
"To a Reason"  | Vocals, guitar, lyrics; credited as Mr. X
"Victim of Stars"  | Vocals, lyrics, music; credited as Mr. X
"Lettre au Directeur des Messageries Maritimes"  | Ending vocals (as Mr. X), lyrics
1995  | "Come Morning"  | Nicola Alesini & Pier Luigi Andreoni  | Marco Polo | Vocals, lyrics, music
"The Golden Way"
"Maya"
1996  | "Ti Ho Aspettato (I Have Waited for You)"  | Andrea Chimenti  | L'Albero Pazzo | Vocals, lyrics
"How Safe Is Deep?"  | Russell Mills | Undark: Strange Familiar | Vocals, lyrics, music
1997  | "Penguin Freud"  | Mono | Formica Blues | Sample of "Answered Prayers" from Gone to Earth
1998  | "Salvation"  | Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Discord | Lyrics
"I Was Waving at You"  | Ana Voog | Anavoog.com | Music
1999  | "Rooms of Sixteen Shimmers"  | Russell Mills  | Pearl and Umbra | Vocals, lyrics
"Forbidden Colours" (New Version)  | Ryuichi Sakamoto  | Cinemage
2001  | "Zero Landmine"  | N.M.L. (No More Landmine) (Ryuichi Sakamoto and others)  | Zero Landmine
"Zero Landmine – Short Version"
"Sugarfuel"  | Readymade FC  | Bold
"Linoleum"  | Tweaker featuring David Sylvian  | The Attraction to All Things Uncertain by Tweaker
2004  | "World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed)"  | Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian  | Chasm by Ryuichi Sakamoto
"Transit"  | Fennesz | Venice
"Pure Genius"  | Tweaker featuring David Sylvian  | 2 a.m. Wakeup Call by Tweaker
"Exit / Delete"  | Takagi Masakatsu featuring David Sylvian  | Coieda by Takagi Masakatsu
"For the Love of Life" (Ending Theme Full Version)  | Kuniaki Haishima | Monster soundtrack
"Messenger"  | Blonde Redhead | Equus | Vocals
"As Long as I Can Hold My Breath"  | Harold Budd | Avalon Sutra | Producer; also art director of album
2005  | "A Fire in the Forest" (Remix)  | Readymade FC  | Babilonia | Vocals, lyrics
"Matière Pensante"  | Hector Zazou  | Quadri + Chromies | Vocals
2006  | "The Librarian"  | Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit featuring David Sylvian  | Secret Rhythms 2 by Burnt Friedman & Jaki Liebezeit  | Vocals, lyrics
"Angels"  | Punkt  | Crime Scenes
2007  | "Playground Martyrs"  | Steve Jansen | Slope
"Ballad of a Deadman"  | Vocals, lyrics, guitar
"Cancelled Pieces"  | Guitar
2008  | "Honor Wishes"  | Joan As Police Woman featuring David Sylvian  | To Survive by Joan As Police Woman  | Vocals
"No Question"
"Before and Afterlife"  | Arve Henriksen | Cartography | Vocals, lyrics, sampling, programming
"Thermal"  | Vocals, lyrics
2009  | "Jacqueline"  | David Sylvian  | The Believer (The 2009 Music Issue) by various artists
2010  | Little Girls With 99 Lives (EP)  | Ingrid Chavez  | Little Girls With 99 Lives (EP)  | Lyrics, music, instruments, co-producer
2012  | "Nothing Is Happening Everywhere"  | Land  | Night Within | Vocals, lyrics[30]
2017  | "Life, Life"  | Ryuichi Sakamoto  | async | Vocals[31]
2020  | "Like Planets [unreel]"  | Mark Wastell | None  | Field recordings, poetry fragments
2022  | "Grains (Sweet Paulownia Wood)"  | David Sylvian  | A Tribute To Ryuichi Sakamoto – To The Moon And Back | Vocals, Producer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "DAVID SYLVIAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
2. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 303\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
3. ^ a b c "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". ultratop.be. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
4. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
5. ^ "Hit Parade Italia - ALBUM 1987". www.hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
6. ^ a b c "italiancharts.com - Italian charts portal". italiancharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
7. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
8. ^ a b c "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
9. ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
10. ^ "charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
11. ^ a b "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
12. ^ a b "British certifications – David Sylvian". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 March 2022. Type David Sylvian in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
13. ^ a b "Chart Log UK: DJ S - The System Of Life". www.zobbel.de. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
14. ^ "David Sylvian & Holger Czukay". Groenland. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
15. ^ "Chart Log UK: Nadanuf - Michael Nyman". www.zobbel.de. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
16. ^ "italiancharts.com - Italian charts portal". italiancharts.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
17. ^ "Uncommon Deities (feat David Sylvian, Sidsel Endresen, Arve Henriksen)". David Sylvian : Expect Everything And Nothing Less. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
18. ^ "{ davidsylvian.com } Rhodri Davies / David Sylvian / Mark Wastell "There Is No Love"". www.davidsylvian.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
19. ^ "New Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 11 November 1989. p. 63. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
20. ^ "DAVID SYLVIAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
21. ^ "MICK KARN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
22. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 263\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
23. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 274.
24. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par S". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
25. ^ "Vísir - 181. Tölublað (12.08.1983) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
26. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
27. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2011). Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2010 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-088-4
28. ^ "Under The Radar - Record Collector Magazine". recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
29. ^ a b "David Sylvian: Contribution Work". www.geocities.ws. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
30. ^ "Brainwashed - Land, "Night Within"". brainwashed.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
31. ^ "RYUICHI SAKAMOTO & DAVID SYLVIAN • Life • Life • Clip • Peek-A-Boo Magazine". www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

* v
* t
* e

David Sylvian

Studio albums|

* Brilliant Trees
* Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities
* Gone to Earth
* Secrets of the Beehive
* Dead Bees on a Cake
* Blemish
* When Loud Weather Buffeted Naoshima
* Manafon
* There's a Light That Enters Houses with No Other House in Sight

Remix albums|

* The Good Son vs. The Only Daughter
* Died in the Wool – Manafon Variations

Compilations|

* Weatherbox
* Approaching Silence
* Everything and Nothing
* Camphor
* Sleepwalkers
* A Victim of Stars 1982–2012

Singles|

* "Red Guitar"
* "The Ink in the Well"
* "Pulling Punches"
* "Words with the Shaman"
* "Taking the Veil"
* "Silver Moon"
* "Let the Happiness In"
* "Orpheus"
* "Pop Song"
* "I Surrender"

Japan|

| Studio albums|

* Adolescent Sex
* Obscure Alternatives
* Quiet Life
* Gentlemen Take Polaroids
* Tin Drum
* Rain Tree Crow

|

Live albums|

* Oil on Canvas

Compilation albums|

* Assemblage
* Japan
* Exorcising Ghosts
* The Very Best of Japan

Nine Horses|

* Snow Borne Sorrow
* Money for All

with Ryuichi Sakamoto|

* "Bamboo Houses"
* "Forbidden Colours"
* "Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)"
* World Citizen

with Holger Czukay|

* Plight & Premonition
* Flux + Mutability

with Russell Mills|

* Ember Glance: The Permanence of Memory

with Robert Fripp|

* The First Day
* "Jean the Birdman"
* Darshan
* Damage: Live

*[EPs]: Extended plays
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