Manafon (album)
Introduction '''''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.
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. ""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."
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."
Track listing 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
External links *  Official site