roger eno

Written in small caps because his music is just so. While I don’t know all of his music, those records I do know are often quite special.

Voices sounds like what it is: a piano and synthesizer album by Brian Eno‘s younger brother. At times this feels like a bit of a JV Harold Budd effort, tho closer “Grey Promenade” and its shimmery piano treatment are every bit worthy of The Pearl. Much of what we hear here was set in motion on side B of Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, where Roger’s melodic sensibilities peek out from the pedal steel ether (Daniel Lanois is behind the desk).

His contributions to Music For Films III are in a similar vein – “Quixote” is a gently brooding synthesizer piece. “Fleeting Smile” one of his now familiar Satie homages. “Slower and Slower” is another solo piece but a bit more like perhaps Michael Nyman, while his collaboration with Brian, “Theme from Opera,” is altogether different and sounds like the contribution to the Dario Argento horror film that it is.

Between Tides is my favorite – deeply embedded in my psyche at this point because I’ve used it to get my younger daughter to sleep, it’s really where Eno steps out from his brother’s shadow. While Satie still figures here, a new chamber style emerges almost fully formed.

The first few tracks of this are absolutely fantastic. While I read a lot of comparisons to Morricone, I actually hear a bit of Gavin Bryars in the opener, while the second track, “Fields of Gold,” is a stunning apotheosis of Eno’s deceptively simple melodic style – just piano and strings, the overall effect is pretty, but not sentimental or arch. Michael Brook produced this and shorn of his previous album’s dewy ambience, it sounds gorgeous and, despite so many familiar elements, like little else I’ve heard.

I am less familiar with his post-Tides material, which seems to be more chamber-y than piano-based. But Little Things Left Behind is a nice comp of his post-Voices stuff.

What say ILM of this man?

I love Voices, don't know anything else by him.

This lp on Recital is fantastic: https://www.recitalprogram.com/this-floating-world/

I find that his music can be very soothing, it's something I love to listen to when I've got a bit of a headache (but I do listen to his records under normal conditions as well).
From the albums I have, I also think Between Tides is a highlight, but my favourite is Swimming - despite the goofy accordeon opener.

Whoah, Swimming isn’t remotely like anything else of his that I’ve heard. It’s mostly guitar-based songs with him singing – it’s a bit like a downtempo Jimmy Webb album.

I prefer Between Tides to Voices, but they're both great. Haven't heard any of his other albums.