b. David Batt, 23 February 1958, Beckenham, Kent, England. Sylvian first established himself as a singer with Japan. His androgynous image and ethereal vocals made him a prominent figure in that group.

Just before their break-up in late 1982, he branched out into a new venture recording with Ryűichi Sakamoto of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. The duo's 'Bamboo House' reached the UK Top 30 and the collaboration continued the following year with 'Forbidden Colours', the haunting theme to the David Bowie film Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.

Sylvian's own 'Red Guitar' also reached the Top 20 and he soon gained a reputation as an uncompromising artist, intent on working at his own pace, and to his own agenda.

The atmospheric Brilliant Trees, reached the UK Top 5 and was widely acclaimed.

Over two years elapsed before the double album follow-up Gone To Earth, which fared less well. By the time of Let The Happiness In single & the third solo vocal album, Secrets Of The Beehive, Sylvian had virtually returned to the pop fringe but his love of experimentation was still present.

A collaboration with former Can member Holger Czukay on the atmospherically ambient Plight And Premonition and Flux And Mutability emphasized this point.

There also followed a collaboration with the illustrator, Russell Mills, entitled Ember Glance.

Sylvian subsequently joined his former Japan colleagues for their 1991 reunion project under the guise of Rain Tree Crow. Following his collaboration with Ryűichi Sakamoto in 1992, Sylvian was back in the charts with 'Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)'.