Oct 15, 2015 Glitterbeat is extremely proud to reissue Laraaji and Brian Eno’s seminal album “Ambient 3: Day of Radiance.” The album has been re-mastered and includes a lengthy interview with Laraaji. This album is the third entry of Eno’s Ambient series, which began in 1978 with Music for Airports, and was preceded by The Plateaux of Mirror.The series ended with On Land. Compared to the rest of the series, Day of Radiance features very little in the way of electronics. Laraaji uses a variety of acoustic stringed instruments such as a hammered dulcimer and 36-stringed open.
Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 1980 | |||
Recorded | 1979 | |||
Studio | Grant Avenue Studio | |||
Genre | Ambient | |||
Length | 39:30 | |||
Label | E.G. | |||
Producer | Brian Eno | |||
Harold Budd and Brian Eno chronology | ||||
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Brian Eno chronology | ||||
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Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror is a 1980 album by Harold Budd and Brian Eno. This is the second installment of Eno's Ambient series, which began in 1978 with Ambient 1: Music for Airports, identifiable by its similar cover art which evokes rural terrain on a map.
Background and production[edit]
Eno produced Budd's 1978 album The Pavilion of Dreams after British composer Gavin Bryars introduced the pair, which led to their collaboration on this album.[citation needed]
Eno said of Budd that he indulged in 'live improvisation on The Plateaux of Mirror ... I would set up a sound, he would improvise to it, and occasionally I would add something: but it was mainly him performing in a sound-world I had created'.
Speaking about how Budd discovered new ways of playing on the album simply by bouncing ideas off each other, Eno has also commented
... with him I used to set up quite complicated treatments and then he would go out and play the piano. And you would hear him discovering, as he played, how to manipulate this treatment. How to make it ring and resonate. Which notes work particularly well on it. Which register of the piano. What speed to play at, of course, because some treatments just cloud out if they have too much information in them.
Content[edit]
The bulk of the instrumentation is Budd on acoustic piano with treatments by Eno. 'The Plateaux of Mirror' and 'Wind in Lonely Fences' are performed on electric piano. Budd composed 'Not Yet Remembered' in California, with a melodic line intended for vocals, and mailed the composition to Eno in New York City. Eno then reversed the melodic phrase, recorded it and played it to Budd for the first time over the telephone. The basic theme of 'The Chill Air' was repeated on 'Their Memories', a piece on Budd and Eno's 1984 release The Pearl. While the theme is recognisable by its melody line, the treatments are more pronounced.
Tracks 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10 are mostly piano-oriented, with little in the way of heavy electronic tinkering by Eno; track 1, also piano-based, has some light synthesizer treatments towards the latter half. Tracks 3 and 9 feature syncopation, mostly in the form of light chimes, while track 6 has wordless vocal-style effects accompanying the piano. Track 5's piano is backed with some warm synthesizers, the most uptempo composition on the album.
Because the album was recorded on analogue equipment, the listener can hear the hiss of the tapes Eno used for his treated sounds in several of the tracks.
Reception[edit]
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Austin Chronicle | [2] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
Pitchfork | 8.4/10[4] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10[5] |
In its retrospective review, AllMusic described it as 'a lovely, evocative work'.[1]Pitchfork wrote 'The Plateaux matches Eno's other ambient albums in its moments of deep beauty, though it does little to mute the human presence. One gets the feeling that Harold Budd was after something slightly different from Eno, as his playing seems a bit busy under the concept at hand. Still, left on in the background, Plateaux is a light-filled album that accomplishes the goal of transforming its environment.'[4]
Track listing[edit]
All tracks by Brian Eno and Harold Budd, except as indicated.
- 'First Light' – 6:59
- 'Steal Away' – 1:29 (Harold Budd, Eugene Bowen)
- 'The Plateaux of Mirror' – 4:10
- 'Above Chiangmai' – 2:49
- 'An Arc of Doves' – 6:22
- 'Not Yet Remembered' – 3:50
- 'The Chill Air' – 2:13
- 'Among Fields of Crystal' – 3:24
- 'Wind in Lonely Fences' – 3:57
- 'Failing Light' – 4:17
Personnel[edit]
- Harold Budd – acoustic piano, electric piano
- Brian Eno – other instruments, treatments, production, cover art
Release details[edit]
Country/Region | Label | Cat. No. | Media | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
UK | E.G. | EGAMB 002, | LP | April 1980 |
UK | E.G. | EGED 18 | CD & LP | ? |
Germany | Polydor | 2311 105 | LP | ? |
France | Polydor | 2335 205 | LP | 1980 |
US | Editions EG | EGS 202 | LP | April 1980 |
US | Caroline | 1549-2 | LP | ? |
US | Caroline | 1549 | CD | April 1992 |
US | Editions EG/Obscure | ? | LP | January 1987 |
US | Editions EG | EEGCD 18 | CD | April 1992 |
Europe | Virgin | 8664982 | CD | December 2004 |
UK | Virgin | ENOCD 7 7243 8 66497 2 0 | CD | 2004 |
![Zip Zip](https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0005934302_10.jpg)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abConnolly, Dave. 'Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror – Harold Budd / Brian Eno'. AllMusic. Retrieved 25 May 2016.Cite journal requires
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(help) - ^Chamy, Michael (17 December 2004). 'Brian Eno and Harold Budd: Gift guide'. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^Larkin, Colin (2011). 'Brian Eno'. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN0-85712-595-8.
- ^ abSinger, Liam (7 October 2004). 'Brian Eno / Harold Budd: Discreet Music / Ambient 1: Music for Airports / Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror / Ambient 4: On Land'. Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^Weisbard & Marks 1995, p. 129.
![Brian Eno Ambient 3 Zip Brian Eno Ambient 3 Zip](http://metunes.ru/cdn/r/303540/!1.jpg)
- Works cited
- Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). 'Brian Eno'. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN0-679-75574-8.
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ambient_2:_The_Plateaux_of_Mirror&oldid=913652430'
Ambient 3: Day of Radiance | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1980 | |||
Genre | Ambient, world, new age | |||
Length | 49:00 | |||
Label | Editions EG | |||
Producer | Brian Eno | |||
Laraaji chronology | ||||
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Brian Eno chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Louder than War | 8/10[2] |
Record Collector | [3] |
Sputnikmusic | [4] |
Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (1980) is an album by the Americanambient musician Laraaji (alias Edward Larry Gordon), which was produced by Brian Eno.
Overview[edit]
This album is the third entry of Eno’s Ambient series, which began in 1978 with Music for Airports, and was preceded by The Plateaux of Mirror. The series ended with On Land.
Compared to the rest of the series, Day of Radiance features very little in the way of electronics. Laraaji uses a variety of acoustic stringed instruments such as a hammered dulcimer and 36-stringed open-tuned zither.
Track listing[edit]
All tracks by Laraaji
- ”The Dance #1” – 9:06
- ”The Dance #2” – 9:39
- ”The Dance #3” – 3:15
- ”Meditation #1” – 18:42
- ”Meditation #2” – 7:50
Content[edit]
The first three tracks are variations on a theme named 'The Dance', and are delivered in a fast, hypnotic, Gamelan-like, rhythmic pace on a hammered dulcimer. Eno's input is not only in the role of producer; he also adds many creative touches to the natural instrument-sounds. In particular, he 'layers' the tracks, after which he applies various effects to the point at which the dulcimer almost sounds like other instruments.
These processes are particularly noticeable on the last of the 'Dance' pieces. The simple practice of slowing the tape down creates resonances that are deep, and distorted in places.
The final two tracks ('Meditation 1 & 2') are different; more in keeping with the 'ambient' style featured on the rest of the series. These are slow, meandering beatless compositions performed on the zither, with the dulcimer adding the odd highlight. Eno's tactic in these two pieces is mainly to electronically highlight the zither's naturally long decay-rate, creating a highly ethereal sound.
Personnel and instruments[edit]
- Cover art and production – Brian Eno
- Music – Laraaji
- Instruments – treated and amplified zither; hammered dulcimer
Versions[edit]
Country | Label | Cat. No. | Media | Release Date |
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UK | Ambient/EG Records | EGAMB 003 | LP | 1980 |
US | EG Records | EGS 203 | LP | 1980 |
US | Caroline | 1573 | CD | ? |
US | EG Records | EGED/EEGCD-19 | LP & CD | 1987 & 1995 |
References[edit]
- ^Brian Olewnick. 'Laraaji Ambient 3: Day of Radiance'. AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
- ^Paul Scott-Bates (November 6, 2015). 'Laraaji: Ambient 3 Day Of Radiance – album review'. Louder Than War. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
- ^Paul Bowler. 'LARAAJI - AMBIENT 3: DAY OF RADIANCE (PRODUCED BY BRIAN ENO)'. Record Collector. Retrieved 2015-12-12.
- ^Kuettel, Benjamin. 'Laraaji - Ambient 3: Day of Radiance'. Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
External links[edit]
- Japanese ambient dub quartet Audio Active have remixed a selection of the material for their album The Way Out Is The Way In, Gyroscope/Caroline GYR 6615-2, 1995 (Discogs.com)
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