Brian Eno: Music For Airports

The landmark 1978 Eno album 'Music For Airports' is the first acknowledged ambient work, after Eno himself coined the term in the album's liner notes. Interestingly given this albums landmark status as an ambient work, this is actually Eno's 6th studio album after his 1974 debut.

The album is considered fairly experimental for its day, consisting of four tracks labelled '1/1,' '1/2,' '2/1' and '2/2' using only tape loops, a synthesiser and a piano to create the 48 minute total runtime. Brian Eno himself noted that this album was conceived to provide a musical backdrop which could be as interesting to the listener when both listening intently and when the music plays purely in the background.

'1/1' begins the album with a piano and synthesiser based piece. The composer noted that this piece was constructed from two tape loops of separate piano melodies which interact well together utilising the effect of phasing which is used throughout. Here, phrasing refers to the interaction between two tape loops of unequal length that will when played simultaneously go in and out of phase with one another.

'1/2' is constructed in a similar manner as the first track but uses phasing between tapes of sustained vocal notes. The phasing effect in this effect creates at points, lush harmonies, and at others, dissonances. This is possibly the most cited track of the album and also the most familiar to a contemporary ambient composer given today's primary use of electronic sound sources.

The vocal loops remain present in '2/2,' which adds a piano to the instrumentation, before the work's finale, '2/2.' This final track is perhaps the most experimental due to its use of harmony and reedy synthesiser instrumentation. Overall however, the variety and progression between tracks certainly enhance this album.

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