Album: The Pearl
Artist: Harold Budd & Brian Eno
Artist: Harold Budd & Brian Eno
Born: Mojave Desert, California
Released: August 1984
Genre: Ambient
Influenced: XTC, Cocteau Twins, Talk Talk, The Orb, Aphex Twin
Brian Eno and Harold Budd had been collaborating since the late 70s, when Eno produced Budd's second album, The Pavilion Of Dreams. This partnership extended to Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror (1980) and this release, The Pearl, which was also enhanced by the production skills of Daniel Lanois (who'd later work with U2, Bob Dylan and Neil Young). The ambient soundscape that these three produce together is stunning, giving the sense of a descent underwater in search of a pearl. There are moments of blissful serenity, but trying to describe these with words feels entirely futile. All I'd say is, though the album can be enjoyed while working or reading, especially late at night, I do find that listening to it carefully without any distractions makes for a more immersive, rewarding experience.
There's a stillness and quietness that persists throughout the record, with little sense of drama. Eno creates the soundscapes and Budd fills the space with light, dreamy piano notes. By the time you reach Dark Eyed Sister, you really feel like you're in the deep blue depths of the ocean, which works as a metaphor for the lower recesses of your own unconscious mind. Still Return feels like resurfacing again from this deep dive downwards. I'm not normally one for New Age music, but there's definitely something therapeutic to be gained from listening to this album intently and mindfully. A retrospective of Harold Budd's career was released just recently, exploring the full range of his solo work and collaborations with the likes of the Cocteau Twins and John Foxx (lead singer of Ultravox).
Brian Eno and Harold Budd had been collaborating since the late 70s, when Eno produced Budd's second album, The Pavilion Of Dreams. This partnership extended to Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror (1980) and this release, The Pearl, which was also enhanced by the production skills of Daniel Lanois (who'd later work with U2, Bob Dylan and Neil Young). The ambient soundscape that these three produce together is stunning, giving the sense of a descent underwater in search of a pearl. There are moments of blissful serenity, but trying to describe these with words feels entirely futile. All I'd say is, though the album can be enjoyed while working or reading, especially late at night, I do find that listening to it carefully without any distractions makes for a more immersive, rewarding experience.
There's a stillness and quietness that persists throughout the record, with little sense of drama. Eno creates the soundscapes and Budd fills the space with light, dreamy piano notes. By the time you reach Dark Eyed Sister, you really feel like you're in the deep blue depths of the ocean, which works as a metaphor for the lower recesses of your own unconscious mind. Still Return feels like resurfacing again from this deep dive downwards. I'm not normally one for New Age music, but there's definitely something therapeutic to be gained from listening to this album intently and mindfully. A retrospective of Harold Budd's career was released just recently, exploring the full range of his solo work and collaborations with the likes of the Cocteau Twins and John Foxx (lead singer of Ultravox).
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