Brian Eno - Music For Films

Whether as a member of the band Roxy Music, collaborator with heavyweights like U2, David Bowie and Talking Heads, or as an innovative pioneer in the realm of ambient music, Brian Eno has been significantly contributing to the popular music world for over thirty years. Recently, many of his seminal recordings have been re-released, as is the case with Music for Films, originally published in 1978. Music for Films is a collection of short, fragmentary pieces recorded with the cinematic landscape in mind. While Eno intended several of these instrumentals for use in specific films, many of the songs were only released on this album. Each of the tracks has its basis in electronic instruments, displaying Eno’s prowess as a writer and producer of ambient music. This is an album to be cherished by those who find beauty in the subtle details of artistic expression. Since all but one of the eighteen songs included are less than four minutes in length, each slight change in harmony and texture plays a large part in developing the thematic material of the piece. In this way, Music for Films is a modern day, electronic counterpart to the Impressionist composers of the early 20th century who emphasized atmosphere and mood over structure and form. Eno is most successful when he combines the hypnotic melodies of his synthesizer with traditional, organic instruments. On “From the same Hill”, he beautifully weaves arpeggiated acoustic guitar into his electronic landscape, and “Events in Dense Fog” benefits from the understated presence of a piano. Tracks like “Patrolling Wire Borders” and “Task Force” falter as they rely too heavily on harsh, robotic timbres. While Music for Films is a difficult album to recommend because of its unusual and sometimes temperamental blend of instruments and sounds, there is much beauty to be discovered throughout the album for those willing to wade through denser musical textures. This album would not be an ideal primer for those seeking to investigate ambient music but should be required listening for those already invested in the genre. [www.enoshop.co.uk]