A Victim Of Stars 1982-2012

David Sylvian\'s solo work has been a constant mining of silence and space, within and beyond musicmaking\'s usual constructs. His work with Japan showed a love for Roxy Music and synth-pop, while on his own, Sylvian teamed up with Robert Fripp and Can\'s Holger Czukay to create art-rock unlike any other. This summarizes 30 years of solo work, with a new track (\"Where\'s Your Gravity?\") filling things out. *Stars* wanders from a remix of \"Ghosts\" from his Japan days through acclaimed solo albums, such as *Gone to Earth*, *Brilliant Trees*, and work with Ryuchi Sakamoto, Nine Horses, and others. Songs like \"The Only Daughter,\" \"Forbidden Colours,\" and \"Manafon\" exhibit Sylvian\'s unusual range, plus his ability to upset tradition and touch on the avant-garde and cocktail jazz with equal suspicion. File alongside Kate Bush, Scott Walker, and other stylistic iconoclasts whose approach to beauty is unpredictable and often puzzling but rewarding once the time is spent unraveling the mysteries. This is the perfect place to start understanding Sylvian\'s career.

This engaging compilation of work by the former Japan vocalist begins begins with a version of a song from his old band, moves through material from his solo LPs, and closes with a new song.

For those unfamiliar with Japan singer David Sylvian's solo work, a compilation such as A Victim of Stars is like a glorious brush on the cheek by a silk...