Brian Eno 17: Drawn From Life

As might have been predicted from the largely action-devoid pieces he’d dabbled with throughout the ‘90s, Brian Eno wasn’t so much interested in composing music to be merely heard as he was creating the soundtrack to interactive experiences. But by the end of the decade the ambient brand had become an actual thing, with artists like Aphex Twin taking the lead on the charts, and others bringing in beats, of all things, for a new genre known as trip-hop.

His first album of the new century, then, was a collaboration with a German composer (deejay, actually) named J. Peter Schwalm, released on the same Astralwerks label that had been mining the territory he’d discovered. Eno and Schwalm had already collaborated on art installations, as well as an appearance at a museum in Bonn, Germany with Holger Czukay of Can in 1998, released a quarter-century later as Sushi. Roti. Reibekuchen.

But back to the album at hand. Some of the music on Drawn From Life recalls the recent “space jazz” of The Drop; at other times they could be more Music For Films. The percussion certainly keeps it contemporary. Regular collaborator Nell Catchpole adds violin here and there, while Laurie Anderson’s robotic voice fits right in on “Like Pictures #2”, as does somebody named Lynn Gerlach, credited with the disembodied contribution to “Rising Dust”. The original immersive intention of ambient music is reinforced on “Bloom”, where the sound of Eno’s young daughters at the kitchen table can be heard. (A mix without the voices is also included, but it’s redundant.)

Altogether, Drawn From Life is pleasant, mostly harmless, and not at all overbearing. It’s melodic in places, which makes it a little more interesting, but it’s hardly a buried treasure. If you want to chill out, chill out.

Brian Eno & J. Peter Schwalm Drawn From Life (2001)—3