Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities
Encyclopedia
Alchemy - An Index of Possibilities is David Sylvian
's second solo album, released in 1985 on cassette only and produced by Sylvian and Nigel Walker. It was reissued in its original form on CD in Japan in 1991.
, Japan
, and released on VHS. The song itself features the voice of Jean Cocteau
.
In 2003, the album was remastered and included two additional songs: "The Stigma of Childhood (Kin)", originally recorded for the theatre play Kin; and "A Brief Conversation Ending in Divorce". Both songs were originally released on the EP Pop Song, and appeared in place of "Preparations for a Journey" for the album's inclusion in the boxed set Weatherbox
.
"Words with the Shaman"
Side B
"Preparations.." and "The Stigma....": (Produced by David Sylvian)
"A Brief Conversation...": (Produced by David Sylvian and Steve Nye
)
"Steel Cathedrals": (Produced by David Sylvian)
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
's second solo album, released in 1985 on cassette only and produced by Sylvian and Nigel Walker. It was reissued in its original form on CD in Japan in 1991.
History
The opening suite "Words with the Shaman" was simultaneously issued as a 12" single, while "Steel Cathedrals" was used in a short film by Sylvian and Yasayuki Yamaguchi, shot in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and released on VHS. The song itself features the voice of Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
.
In 2003, the album was remastered and included two additional songs: "The Stigma of Childhood (Kin)", originally recorded for the theatre play Kin; and "A Brief Conversation Ending in Divorce". Both songs were originally released on the EP Pop Song, and appeared in place of "Preparations for a Journey" for the album's inclusion in the boxed set Weatherbox
Weatherbox (album)
Weatherbox is a five-CD limited-edition box set by David Sylvian. Only 5000 copies were produced in 1989 and they quickly sold out. A Japanese version was also produced. The set comprises Sylvian's first four albums: Brilliant Trees, Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities, Gone to Earth and Secrets of...
.
UK Cassette/Japanese CD
Side A"Words with the Shaman"
- "Pt.1 Ancient Evening" – 5:11
- "Pt.2 Incantation" – 3:30
- "Pt.3 Awakening – Songs from the Treetops" (Sylvian/Hassell/Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
) – 5:21
- "Preparations for a Journey" (Sylvian) – 3:40
Side B
- "Steel Cathedrals" (Sylvian/Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
) – 18:55
Remastered UK CD
"Words with the Shaman"- "Pt.1 Ancient Evening" – 5:11
- "Pt.2 Incantation" – 3:30
- "Pt.3 Awakening – Songs from the Treetops" (Sylvian/Hassell/Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
) – 5:21
- "Preparations for a Journey" (Sylvian) – 3:40
- "The Stigma Of Childhood (Kin)" (Sylvian) – 8:30
- "A Brief Conversation Ending In Divorce" (Sylvian) – 3:30
- "Steel Cathedrals" (Sylvian/Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
) – 18:55
Personnel
"Words with the Shaman": (Produced by David Sylvian and Nigel Walker)- David SylvianDavid SylvianDavid Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
– Keyboards, guitars, tapes - Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
– Drums, percussion, additional keyboards - Jon HassellJon HassellJon Hassell is an American trumpet player and composer. He is known for his influence in the world music scene and his unusual electronic manipulation of the trumpet sound.-Life and career:...
– Trumpet - Holger CzukayHolger CzukayHolger Czukay is a German musician, probably best known as a co-founder of the krautrock group Can. Described by critic Jason Ankeny as "successfully bridg[ing] the gap between pop and the avant-garde," Czukay is also notable for creating early important examples of ambient music, for exploring...
– Radio, dictaphoneDictaphoneDictaphone was an American company, a producer of dictation machines—sound recording devices most commonly used to record speech for later playback or to be typed into print. The name "Dictaphone" is a trademark, but in some places it has also become a common way to refer to all such devices, and... - Percy JonesPercy Jones (musician)Percy Jones is a Welsh bass guitarist, and was a member of jazz fusion band Brand X, from 1974 to 1980, and a reformed version which lasted from 1992 to 1997...
– Fretless bass
"Preparations.." and "The Stigma....": (Produced by David Sylvian)
- Performed by David Sylvian
"A Brief Conversation...": (Produced by David Sylvian and Steve Nye
Steve Nye
Steve Nye is a music producer for several artists. Some of his better known artists include Bryan Ferry , Penguin Cafe Orchestra, XTC , Japan , David Sylvian , Clannad, TM Network, Scary Thieves , as...
)
- David Sylvian – Guitars, synthesisers, keyboard programming
- John Taylor – Piano
- Stuart Bruce – Computer programming
"Steel Cathedrals": (Produced by David Sylvian)
- David SylvianDavid SylvianDavid Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
– Keyboards, tapes, digital percussion - Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
– Piano, strings - Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
– Percussion - Kenny WheelerKenny WheelerKenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
– Flugelhorn - Robert FrippRobert FrippRobert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
– Guitar - Holger CzukayHolger CzukayHolger Czukay is a German musician, probably best known as a co-founder of the krautrock group Can. Described by critic Jason Ankeny as "successfully bridg[ing] the gap between pop and the avant-garde," Czukay is also notable for creating early important examples of ambient music, for exploring...
– Dictaphone - Masami TsuchiyaMasami TsuchiyaMasami Tsuchiya is a Japanese singer-songwriter and musician. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and guitarist in the group Ippu-Do. His subsequent output includes solo work and collaborations...
– "Guitar abstractions"
External links
- Steel Cathedrals part one – Part one of the video for "Steel Cathedrals".
- Steel Cathedrals part two – Part two of the video for "Steel Cathedrals".