- Music
- 25 Jan 17
Another ambient masterclass from Eno
Brian Eno probably doesn’t sleep that much. How else could he have produced 43 albums by other artists, 26 studio albums of his own, plus another 26 collaborative records with the likes of David Byrne and Karl Hyde? And that’s not to mention art installations, lectures, writing and other endeavours.
Reflection is a perfect early January warm bath of ambient cosiness. It fits into what Eno calls “generative music”, a process whereby the producer sets the train in motion and the material more or less writes itself. No wonder he doesn’t get writer’s block!
The album is comprised of a single track that lasts for 54 minutes, so it isn’t exactly pandering to the mass market. There is a four-minute excerpt doing the rounds on streaming services if you want to dip your toes, but the full immersive experience of the complete work is remarkably soothing. This is a meditative album, or what Eno has called “a thinking record.”
Eno released a fantastic album entitled The Ship only last year, and in 2014 did not just one but two albums with Karl Hyde. The man who is the integral link between Roxy Music and Bowie is showing no signs of slowing. More power to him.