Entry 7: Electronic Music Innovations

Few can deny Brian Eno's massive impact on electronic music. Particularly in the world of Electronic ambience Eno has always been seen as the father of that music world, even being credited with the creation of ambient music. Inspired by minimalist paintings, Eno released many albums that tested what we expected from music. Using the simplest touches of sound, he created something totally new, albums that aren't meant to be directly listened to, but to sit in the background and fill in space, to be ambient. His use of electronic instrumentation in these albums such as Music For Airports is what truly creates the experience. By using synthesizers Eno creates these amazing organic sounds that totally changed the way people viewed electronic music. Though inspired by Kraftwerk, his sounds feel more alive and growing, compared to Kraftwerks often rigid feel. Eno also made advancements in technology like his creation of the tape delay system he used with Robert Fripp that also had an impact on electronic music. Fripp and Eno used this system to create a whole new sound with the electric guitar by taking what the guitar was playing and reversing it back around live and playing that back out at the audience. The result is this beautifully flow of long tones weaving in and out of each other, something totally out of this world. In all of these albums the goal is more of a whole body and emotional response  through the use of these organic electronic sounds and thats what really defines Eno's impact on electronic music. There are many artists today like Minilogue and Flying Lotus who are clearly inspired by the concepts of Eno's original feel and sound. Anywhere you hear ambient music today because of Eno's work. I love the sound of Eno's work, I have the album Music For Airports and I love reading and relaxing to it, the sound just makes my body so relaxed. It just feels so soft and warm and as an artist I find this incredible. If I could make people feel this way with my art, I would feel really accomplished, It would feel like a such a success.