![]() The loose recording method with Czukay may have influenced Sylvian when he recorded the songs for Secrets of the Beehive the following year. You go into the studio with no preconceived ideas and you just improvise material onto tape and then work with that, develop that composition and put some kind of shape to it at a later stage.” These sessions resulted in two long ambient tracks named Plight and Premonition, released two years later. The experience left a mark on Sylvian, as he later said: “It was quite new for me to work in that manner. Sylvian started playing various instruments in the studio while unbeknownst to him Czukay was rolling the tape. The first of these was a chance recording that happened spontaneously when Sylvian visited Czukay following an invitation to contribute vocals for a track Czukay was working on. The recording of Secrets of the Beehive which took place in 1987 is sandwiched between sessions Sylvian made with ex-Can bassist Holger Czukay. Likewise we also experience heaven by degrees and intensity.” ![]() Most of us are fortunate enough to re-emerge. We experience on occasion our descent into it. Heaven and hell are here and now defined by psychological states. I do believe in the force of evil, I believe in the force of love. The point of using them in this context is a short hand of sorts. ![]() In an interview years later, Sylvian said: “The Christian symbols no longer have any hold on me. This was the source of knowledge that informed my practice for a number of years without the benefit of a personal teacher.” The spiritual journey Sylvian took during that period is evident in the lyrics to Secrets of the Beehive, with various references to religious symbols. For me, Buddhism held the most persuasive deck of cards. I felt free to explore whichever avenue of interest cast its spell and, more importantly, produced results. My faith was restored to me stronger than ever before without the basis of a given set of parameters, without dogma. At some point or another all of the above held me captivated for a period of time. Sylvian said of that period: “This search led me to look into Gurdjieff’s teachings, Sufism, Gnostic Christianity and Buddhism. And also in 1987, David Sylvian recorded and released his third solo album, the melancholic, acoustic and atmospheric Secrets of the Beehive, my favorite in his excellent catalog of albums.ĭavid Sylvian went through a period of soul searching in the mid-1980s after leaving the band Japan and releasing a few solo albums. Talk Talk started to record their seminal album Spirit of Eden, painstakingly creating an extraordinary sonic collage in the studio following months of recordings. Marianne Faithfull worked with producer Hal Willner and a number of stellar musicians to release the album Strange Weather, a great collection of cover songs, with the title song composed by Tom Waits. In 1987, amidst bombastic late 1980s pop songs, a number of introspective and moody albums that applied lush acoustic instrumentation were recorded by some of my favorite artists. 16 Secrets of the Beehive, by David Sylvian.
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