DISCREET MUSIC

This is a lovely album of extremely beauty and simplicity. Here, Brian Eno unleashes his concept of ambient music on the world for the first time, with great results. "Discreet Music" is basically a very slow moving loop, gradually manipulated with filters and EQ over its running time. It is meant to be played at very low volumes and to hang in the background of the room like wallpaper. While this way of listening is very effective, it can also reward closer inspection. The second half of the album is comprised of experimental variations of Pachelbel's Canon, which result in surreal, dreamlike mutations of a familiar theme. I must also point out to Ricochet that the canon was not written by Bach, but rather by (big surprise) Pachelbel.

This is great music for thinking, reading and dreaming, but Eno would develop this style to perfection on his next ambient release, Music for Airports.