Dead Bees On A Cake, released in 1999, was David Sylvian’s final studio album for Virgin and marked a clear shift in direction. After the more structured feel of his earlier work, this record leans toward a looser, more organic sound, built around collaboration rather than tightly controlled arrangements.

Recorded over an extended period with a wide range of musicians, the album moves between song-based material and more atmospheric pieces, giving it a different character from releases like Brilliant Trees or Gone To Earth. It’s often seen as a bridge between those earlier albums and the more stripped-back approach Sylvian would take later.

The cover photography by Shinya Fujiwara reflects that shift — quieter, more personal, and less stylised than the Russell Mills artwork associated with his earlier catalogue. One of my favourite album covers; it's just needs no words other than beauty in a Chagell-esque sort of way.