This page includes Alchemy - An Index Of Possibilities's: cover picture, songs / tracks list, members/musicians and line-up, different releases details, free MP3 download (stream), buy online links: ebay and amazon, ratings and detailled reviews by our experts, collaborators and members. Listen to Alchemy - An Index Of Possibilities now. Listen to Alchemy - An Index Of Possibilities in full in the Spotify app. Play on Spotify. David Sylvian - 'Alchemy - An Index Of Possibilities' 1985. Virgin SYL-1. Words With The Shaman Preparations for a Journey Steel Cathedrals. Recorded in Tokyo and London 1984-85 this project saw David exploring themes and directions that first surfaced on the Brilliant Trees sessions.
| Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 14 December 1985 (UK) | |||
| Genre | Electronic, ambient, world music | |||
| Length | 36:41 | |||
| Label | Virgin | |||
| Producer | David Sylvian and Nigel Walker | |||
| David Sylvian chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
Original cassette cover art | ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
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.
History[edit]
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 Tokyo, Japan, and released on VHS. The soundtrack 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 Gaby Agis's dance piece, Kin; and 'A Brief Conversation Ending in Divorce'. Both songs were originally released in 1989 on the Pop Song EP.
Track listing[edit]
- Original cassette and Japanese CD pressings
All tracks written by David Sylvian and Jon Hassell, except as noted.
| Side A | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt. 1 Ancient Evening' | 5:11 |
| 2. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt.2 Incantation' | 3:30 |
| 3. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt.3 Awakening – Songs from the Treetops' (Sylvian/Hassell/Steve Jansen) | 5:21 |
| 4. | 'Preparations for a Journey' (Sylvian) | 3:40 |
| Total length: | 17:42 | |
| Side B | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | 'Steel Cathedrals (Soundtrack from the Short Film by D. Sylvian and Y. Yamaguchi)' (Sylvian/Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 18:55 |
| Total length: | 18:55 | |
- Weatherbox and 2003 CD pressings
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt. 1 Ancient Evening' | 5:11 |
| 2. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt.2 Incantation' | 3:30 |
| 3. | 'Words with the Shaman: Pt.3 Awakening – Songs from the Treetops' (Sylvian/Hassell/Steve Jansen) | 5:21 |
| 4. | 'Preparations for a Journey' (Sylvian; omitted from Weatherbox pressing) | 3:40 |
| 5. | 'The Stigma Of Childhood (Kin)' (Sylvian) | 8:30 |
| 6. | 'A Brief Conversation Ending in Divorce' (Sylvian) | 3:30 |
| 7. | 'Steel Cathedrals (Soundtrack from the Short Film by D. Sylvian and Y. Yamaguchi)' (Sylvian/Ryuichi Sakamoto) | 18:55 |
| Total length: | 48:37 | |
Personnel[edit]
'Words with the Shaman': (Produced by David Sylvian and Nigel Walker)
- David Sylvian – Keyboards, guitars, tapes
- Steve Jansen – Drums, percussion, additional keyboards
- Jon Hassell – Trumpet
- Holger Czukay – Radio, dictaphone
- Percy Jones – Fretless bass
'Preparations..' and 'The Stigma....': (Produced by David Sylvian)
- Performed by David Sylvian
'A Brief Conversation...': (Produced by David Sylvian and Steve Nye)
- David Sylvian – Guitars, synthesisers, keyboard programming
- John Taylor – Piano
- Stuart Bruce – Computer programming
'Steel Cathedrals': (Produced by David Sylvian)
- David Sylvian – Keyboards, tapes, digital percussion
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – Piano, strings
- Steve Jansen – Percussion
- Kenny Wheeler – Flugelhorn
- Robert Fripp – Guitar
- Holger Czukay – Dictaphone
- Masami Tsuchiya – 'Guitar abstractions'
References[edit]
- ^Alchemy: An Index of Possibilities at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
External links[edit]
- Steel Cathedrals part one – Part one of the video for 'Steel Cathedrals'.
- Steel Cathedrals part two – Part two of the video for 'Steel Cathedrals'.