It is a peculiar record. Peculiar by all means but also a record hard to ignore, especially to those who appreciated Sylvian's last uncompromising effort. If "Blemish" could attribute its unique, incredibly consistent nature to a mixture of electronic flaws, blemishes and deeply personal lyrics, this record, through the efforts of few Japanese DJs, presents them in more traditional though still avant-garde incarnation. The outcome is not always convincing but always surprising. "The Only Daughter" appears here twice - once as a strangely charming, dissonant composition based entirely on traditional instrumentation, whereas the second rendition reveals itself as a slow motif with a sound of trumpet in the background - clearly a nod to Sylvian's characteristic style. Among the two versions of "Blemish", the first one is most noteworthy, guided smoothly by a clarinet and supplemented by a subtle, yet forceful rhythmical pattern. Similar approach made the originally quite subdued "The Heart Knows Better" sound more dynamically and vividly. With "Late Night Shopping" the arrangements were kept to minimum. At the same time the vocals were highlighted with additional choral part. Such interesting innovations were unfortunately absent in the case of "The Good Son". Difficult guitar parts by Derek Bailey still present in the mix, probably made it impossible for the track to become more accessible. The most structurally defined track on "Blemish", "Fire In The Forest", completely lost its charm. Quite unsurprisingly, given the class of the original piece. And yet it is a pity that the disappointment is so significant. Undoubtedly, the most startling and unexpected is the rendition of "How Little We Need To Be Happy". One of the most difficult miniatures on Sylvian's last album evolved here into the most melodious piece in the whole set. The track with its warm glow and peaceful, reflective mood is an incredibly exciting take on the original. The album, published with Sylvian's blessing by Samadhi Sound, is without a doubt an inspired attempt at presenting "Blemish" in the new light, but at the same time it has to be treated only as a "satellite album" - an interesting variation on the theme of sliding across electronic fissures of the bleeding heart... Teraz Rock, May 2005 The tracks included are remixed by: Ryoji Ikeda ("The Only Daughter") Burnt Friedman ("Blemish", "Late Night Shopping") Sweet Billy Pilgrim ("The Heart Knows Better") ReadyMade FC ("A Fire In The Forest") Yoshihiro Hanno ("The Good Son") Tatsuhiko Asano ("How Little We Need To Be Happy") Jan Bang & Erik Honore ("The Only Daughter") Akira Rabelais ("Blemish") [  back to the top