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Ambient 1: Music for Airports

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Ambient 1: Music for Airports · After a long wait at Cologne Bonn airport, irritated by the atmosphere, Brian Eno conceived music made especially for airports. He began it during the production of David Bowie's Low in Berlin, where he recorded individual notes sung by three German women. Back in England he recorded Fred Frith on guitar and Robert Wyatt on piano. From all the recordings he made tape loops of different lengths, which run over one another.

The album was released in February 1979 and consists of four pieces. Eno wanted to bring calm and room for thought, with music that is as easy to ignore as it is interesting. It was his first record under the label ambient, and is seen as the record that spread the term. In 2016 Pitchfork called it the best ambient record ever.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to 1/1 and notice the piano sounds that surface irregularly and without a fixed pulse. This is the only piece with a melody.

Track list

  1. 11/117:22Apple Music ↗
  2. 22/18:54Apple Music ↗
  3. 31/212:07Apple Music ↗
  4. 42/29:38Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs