Neroli

I’m currently listening to the 1993 album Neroli, one of Brian Eno’s most austere and minimalist works, the entire album consisting of just one single 57min glacial soundscape. It’s a quiet recording too, and perhaps not best suited to the noisy office where I work, the sounds of voices and ringtones straying into the sound field - no doubt something Eno would approve of. My revisiting of Neroli, an album that doesn't get much plays (in contrast with the extraordinary Thursday Afternoon) was prompted by the recent clutch of Eno re-issues, which includes a second pass at Neroli, augmented by an extra disc of previously unreleased drone music. Perhaps the most significant thing about Neroli, at least for me is that it marks the end of a near faultless run of Eno albums that began with No Pussyfooting. I’ve found it very hard to connect with his post-millennium work - the door is not closed by any means on albums like Small Craft on a Milk Sea, Another Day on Earth and Lux - but so far, I've found this music remote and unengaging… Incidentally I recently came across an interesting Eno documentary online entitled Imaginary Landscapes, a 39min piece from 1989 featuring the great man discussing music and art in his own illuminating and stimulating style. Aside from shots of Eno at his mixing board, the visuals are strictly stock-ambient, so this might be best experienced as an audio piece if you’re busy looking at something else. You can find it here