Japan were an English new wave band formed in 1974 in Catford,South London by David Sylvian,Steve Jansen (drums) and Mick Karn,joined the following year by Richard Barbieri (keyboards) and Rob Dean. Initially a glam rock-inspired band,Japan developed their sound and androgynous look to incorporate art rock,electronic music and foreign influences.
David Sylvian is an English musician,singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. The band's androgynous look and increasingly electronic sound made them an important influence on the UK's early-1980s new wave scene.
Holger Schüring,known professionally as Holger Czukay,was a German musician best known as a co-founder of the krautrock group Can. Described as "successfully bridg[ing] the gap between pop and the avant-garde",Czukay was also notable for having created early important examples of ambient music,for having explored "world music" well before the term was coined,and for having been a pioneer of sampling.
Gone to Earth is the third solo studio album by English singer-songwriter David Sylvian,released on 1 September 1986 on Virgin Records. A double album,Gone to Earth is the follow-up to his debut record,Brilliant Trees,and peaked at No. 24 in the UK Albums Chart.
Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. The album was released on 19 October 1987 in Europe and the United States. The album peaked at No. 37 in the UK album chart. The album was released in Japan on 21 November 1987.
Tin Drum is the fifth and final studio album by English band Japan,released in November 1981 by Virgin Records. It peaked at No. 12 on the UK charts,and featured the top 5 single "Ghosts". It has received acclaim as the band's best and most original work.
Gentlemen Take Polaroids is the fourth studio album by the English band Japan,released in November 1980 by Virgin Records.
Oil on Canvas is a live album by the English band Japan,released in June 1983 by Virgin Records. It was released six months after the band had broken up,and became their highest charting album in the UK,peaking at number 5. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.
Rain Tree Crow is the sole album released by English band Rain Tree Crow,a reunion project by the members of the new wave band Japan. Recorded in 1989 and 1990 and released in April 1991,it was the first time that members David Sylvian,Mick Karn,Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri had collaborated as a four-piece since 1982. The album peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart.
Alchemy:An Index of Possibilities is the second solo studio album by David Sylvian,first released in December 1985 on cassette only as a limited edition. Alchemy is an intermediary album,released between his first solo album Brilliant Trees and his next solo album Gone to Earth,made up of two entirely separate projects recorded 1984 and 1985.
Plight &Premonition is the first of two collaborative albums by English musician David Sylvian and German musician Holger Czukay. It was released in March 1988.
Flux + Mutability is the second collaboration between David Sylvian and Holger Czukay. It was released in September 1989. The music consists of two instrumental tracks improvised by the participants.
Ambient 3:Music Of Changes is a 1994 compilation album released by Virgin Records as part of its Ambient series. The compilation was issued as a double CD.
"Bamboo Houses" is a song by Japanese musician-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and English singer-songwriter David Sylvian,released on Virgin Records in 1982. It reached number 30 in the UK charts in the second week of August 1982.
"Forbidden Colours" is a 1983 song by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas,Mr. Lawrence. It appears on the film's soundtrack album and was released as a single on Virgin Records in 1983.
"Red Guitar" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. Released in May 1984,it was his debut solo single and taken from his first solo album Brilliant Trees. It peaked at no.17 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Ink in the Well" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. It was released in August 1984 as the second single from his debut solo album Brilliant Trees. The single peaked at No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart.
Words with the Shaman is a three-part instrumental suite by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. It was recorded in London in 1985 and released as an EP the same year on Virgin Records. It peaked at #72 in the UK single charts.
"Heartbeat –Returning to the Womb" is a collaboration between Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian,with music co-written by Arto Lindsay. It features vocals by Ingrid Chavez and spoken word by John Cage. The mini-album features a previous collaboration between Sakamoto and Sylvian,the 1984 re-recording of "Forbidden Colours",produced by Steve Nye,that was the B-side to Sylvian's single Red Guitar and features as a bonus track on his 1987 album Secrets of the Beehive.
Sleepwalkers is a compilation album by David Sylvian,released September 2010 by Samadhi Sound.
