David Sylvian is finally making new music again. The erstwhile Japan singer’s new LP, The Distance Between the Killer and the Killing, is out February 27 on his new label NANOQ. It is an instrumental album, 46 minutes long, built from improvisational sessions recorded between 2012 and 2025. The album draws together these improvisations into a single instrumental statement.
A Long Wait
Sylvian’s last full-length solo release was Manafon, which came out in 2009. Since then, he has released a steady stream of reissues and compilations rather than new studio work. That changed now. Killer is the real deal: a new album of original material, not a collection of old tracks dressed up for a second life.
The record gathers sessions that span more than a decade, with Sylvian working alongside a wide range of collaborators. The lineup includes Otomo Yoshihide, Jamie Drouin, Biliana Voutchkova, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
What the Sessions Were
The original recordings were improvisational sessions, not finished songs. Sylvian and his collaborators worked through ideas in real time, building textures and structures as they went. Those sessions were recorded between 2012 and 2025.
NANOQ, the label releasing the album, describes Killer as the official follow-up to Manafon. That framing makes sense in context. But it also points to a gap: Sylvian has put out plenty of new material since 2009, just not in the form of a full-length album.
Reissues Instead of Albums
Between Manafon and now, Sylvian has kept busy with archival releases. In 2010, he compiled his 21st-century non-album collaborations on Sleepwalkers. Then came 2012’s A Victim of Stars: 1982-2012, a 30-year compilation of his work. Most recently, in 2019, Sylvian reissued his first four solo albums on vinyl.
None of those reissues were new music. They were ways of repackaging what already existed. Killer breaks that pattern. It presents fresh material, recorded over a long stretch of time.
The Collaborators
The list of artists who worked with Sylvian on these sessions reads like a roll call of contemporary experimental music. Otomo Yoshihide, Jamie Drouin, Biliana Voutchkova, and Ryuichi Sakamoto all appear across the sessions.
The Record’s Structure
Killer runs 46 minutes. It is a single instrumental statement, with no vocals and no lyrics. That structure sets it apart from much of Sylvian’s earlier work, which leaned heavily on his distinctive voice. Here, the focus is entirely on sound and texture.
What Comes Next
Killer is out February 27. The album arrives on NANOQ, the label releasing it. The release follows a familiar pattern for Sylvian fans. He has spent the last decade and a half releasing reissues, compilations, and archival material. Now the new work is finally here.
The Verdict
Killer is a bold move for Sylvian. It asks listeners to engage with instrumental music, something he has rarely done in his solo career. It also asks for patience, since the material spans a long period of time.
The album is a document of a working method. And that is precisely why it matters.
For fans who have waited years for new Sylvian material, this is a gift. For listeners who only know his vocal work, it offers a chance to hear him in a different light. Either way, the wait has ended.
KEY FACTS BOX
– Artist: David Sylvian
– Album: The Distance Between the Killer and the Killing
– Label: NANOQ
– Release date: February 27
– Running time: 46 minutes
– Recorded: 2012–2025
– Collaborators: Otomo Yoshihide, Jamie Drouin, Biliana Voutchkova, Ryuichi Sakamoto
BULLETED LIST
– Manafon (2009) — Sylvian’s last full-length solo LP
– Sleepwalkers (2010) — compilation of 21st-century non-album collaborations
– A Victim of Stars: 1982-2012 (2012) — 30-year compilation
– First Four Solo Albums (2019) — vinyl reissue series
Source material: “David Sylvian Sets New Album The Distance Between the Killer and the Killing,” Pitchfork.
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