Brian Eno – “Music For Films” (1978)

If there is any man who can wear the epithet Mr. Ambient it is Brian Eno. He has created a series of records containing this form of music, sound, art, atmospheres or however you’d like to define it. He is considered to be the man who coined the term ambient for “low-volume music designed to modify one's perception of a surrounding environment.". In practice - very quiet, music/sounds with a lot of silence that often is best used as a background.

His musical career began, however, as a member of Roxy Music in 1971. There he played the keyboard and was responsible for other electronical devices such as mixer decks and tape recorders. In 1973 he quit the band due to difficulties in the relationship with singer Bryan Ferry, another reason is also said to be that Eno was tired of the rock star life. Instead, he began a solo career that has included many of his own albums, but also a lot of production work for other artists such as Talking Heads, U2 or James. In addition, he has worked on a variety of albums with many different artists, an involvement which sometimes has been a collaboration. Such collaborations have been with David Bowie, John Cale, Robert Fripp and others. His career is no doubt impressive and Eno is considered to be one of the most important figures in the last decades of music. And yes, he is the man who composed the 3½ second song you heard when you started Windows 95. Despite that, his career is currently still ongoing.

I bought Music For Films when I was around 17 years old, I was familiar with the name Brian Eno thanks to my older brother who had a record or two with him. I had also heard an Eno album in school at a music lesson, in which a substitute teacher was preaching while some soft piano sounds could be heard in the background (yes, it was the same substitute teacher who had played Atom Heart Mother for us, for the reader with a good memory). I liked the atmosphere the music created but was not sure of its name, but I had understood that it was "music for" something. Off to the record shop and guess what I found if not Music for Films. I bought it (even though it was full price), went home and heard that it was not the same record that I had heard in the music class. Luckily, this was also in the same genre so my disappointment was eased significantly. I realized later that it was Eno's album Music for Airports that the teacher had played.

As a teenager, it happened from time to time that I listened through the whole album in my headphones, although I had a tendency to become very sleepy and frankly a bit bored. More often, I put it on as a soothing background sound when I for example made my homework. In fact, many believe that ambient music is not supposed to be focused upon, but should instead be somewhere in the background. In other words, my listening to it in headphones was the wrong way to go.

It's hard to write some short and easily understood words about the music because it is fairly amorphous and atmospheric. However, it can be said that the songs are relatively short on Music for Films, between one and four minutes. In addition, a lot of different instruments are used, not only synthesizers, tape loops and/or piano that seems to be the case in some of Eno’s more minimalistic ambient records. On these records the songs are also longer, sometimes one song fills the whole album. In this way, Music For Films differs from many other Eno creations within this genre. It can be mentioned that musicians like Robert Fripp, John Cale and Phil Collins participates on the album.

Some of the music on the album was recorded in 1976 and was sent to various film directors for possible use as soundstrack. When the album was released in 1978 Eno commented the new songs as a "possible use as soundtracks to 'imaginary' films '. In the end, a few tracks from the album do appear in some films; A Better Tomorrow, (Sparrow Fall (1)), Jubilee (Slow Water), Sebastiane and Breathless (Final Sunset), and Rock 'n' Roll High School (M386 and Alternative 3).

Today, I would become too bored if I would sit still and really listen to an album like Music For Films. But the album works well as a mean to create a calm and thoughtful mood, why not when you’re cleaning the house? The music has a tendency to neutralize all forms of stress, in other words, this kind of music must be good for your health. Who knows, one day you might get it prescribed.

Allmusic.com reveals the secret of the album:

“…and another film student who had tried out some of the cues: "this is the worst music for films ever. These cues don't synch to anything." However, the second filmmaker unintentionally discovered the essence of Music for Films -- the 18 pieces here are little films, stimulating the visual part of one's brain and thus fulfilling their promotional purpose.”

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. M386

2. Aragon

3. From the Same Hill

4. Inland Sea

5. Two Rapid Formations

6. Slow Water

7. Sparrowfall (1)

8. Sparrowfall (2)

9. Sparrowfall (3)

 

Side B

1. Quartz

2. Events in the Dense Fog

3. There Is Nobody

4. A Measured Room

5. Patroling Winte Borders

6. Task Force

7. Alternative 3

8. Strange Light

9. Final Sunset