[1] They released the album Snow Borne Sorrow in October 2005, which featured several guest contributors including Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen, Swedish vocalist Stina Nordenstam, and Ryuichi Sakamoto on piano.
However, progress was slow and in around February or March 2003, Sylvian took time out from the project for six weeks in order to write and record his solo album Blemish.
In October 2003, whilst on tour in Europe promoting Blemish, Sylvian and Jansen met Burnt Friedman for the first time in Cologne.
Sylvian had listened to and enjoyed Friedman's work and has said that "when the chemistry between Steve and I lacked fireworks in the studio I often thought a third element would be beneficial to the proceedings and oddly enough it was Burnt who’d come to mind during those times.
Jansen has since said that Snow Borne Sorrow "took a long time to complete and was later followed by lengthy rehearsals for a tour to promote David’s solo career, again".