Brian Eno - Ambient 4: On Land

Released in 1982, On Land is Eno's most mature, perfect ambient work. Combining low, rumbling synths with eerie banging and clanking and the occasional wild-animal chirp or grumble, this recording places the listener alone, in the midst of a massive piece of sonic landscaping. And Eno has left no detail to chance. In fact, the work is so complete that when Eno suggests a windswept plain, the listener gets a chill. When trumpeter Jon Hassell bays with a softly disturbing imitation of a wounded beast, the first instinct is to scan the horizon for its glinting eyes. So subtle, intuitive, and well paced is this recording that as it slips quietly from the speakers and into every corner of the listening room, it transforms the space into a gently pulsing sound environment that seems strangely out of time and away from everything. It's a place you'll be drawn to time and time again. An ageless masterwork. --S. Duda Amazon.com essential recording

One of the all time great ambient records

Truly, when "Ambient 4: On Land" was first released in 1982, it was decades ahead of its time, or even, as another reviewer here described it , "timeless". "Ambient 4" can be said to have been the shape of ambient to come in the way it abandons all clear instrumentation and obvious melody to reach an ultimate goal: simulating a virtual, fictional world. Spacial effects and panning give the listener the sense bring the listener beyond the point of being reminded of an environment and into the realm of feeling as if they are there. "On Land" abandons the new age ideal of music for the functional purpose of relaxation, and also doesn't seem intended to be used as a backdrop for daily activities, as it rewards focused listening.

The place "On Land" will take you to is green of all shades, all hues, typically paler and interwoven with grey. Everything lies overgrown, not far from civilization but uncontrolled by it, possessing all the wildness and unpredictability of a deep forest... typically safe, often unnerving in its bizarreness, occasionally truly threatening. You will get wet and most likely dirty. There are moments of greater unease, such as the almost human, gasping voice of "Shadow" and the dark murkiness of "Lantern Marsh", as well as the sense one gets when exploring a potentially dangerous place against better judgment, driven by simple curiosity. The best example of this is in the misty fog and overcast weather of "Unfamiliar Wind (Leeks Hills)". There is a general sense of melancholy hanging over most of the record, like that of a cold morning lacking in bright sunlight.

There are modern ambient artists who you'd swear were working in surround sound even on the puniest of stereo systems (Coil, Lustmord, Steve Roach), and yes, the production of "On Land" lacks the clarity and separation of their work. However, in terms of sheer creativity and vision-inspiring power, "On Land" stands the test of time, and is one of the all time greats of the genre. Highly recommended. April 26, 2008

Soundworld

I got interested in ambient music through first listening to 'nature sounds' CDs, like thunderstorms or falling rain. The minimalist sound lets you fill that space with your own thoughts. Plus it really chills you out. Then I found Brian Eno and downloaded "Discreet Music", wanted more, and found "On Land".

"The Lost Day" is expansive and let's your mind make up stories for the music. It sounds like dark restlessness. "Dunwich Beach Autumn 1960" is my favorite track- it reminds me of home, not as it was, but how it might have been. "Shadow" is vaguely disturbing. All in all this is a very interesting collection of soundscapes. April 2, 2008

Short, but absolute

Brian Eno's "On Land" is a good landmark for dark Ambient Music. Eno knows how to make you feel all alone in the middle of nowhere - or in the middle of somewhere creepy (depending on how you look at it). I enjoy listening to this music alone in bed before I go to sleep at night. It instantly clears my mind of whatever may have happened that day, and lets me fall asleep much easier.

This album really does allow you to conjure up some vivid thoughts. Last time I listened to this album, I for some reason started putting the names of the tracks together as a journey. I imagined being high up on a mountain peak called "Lizard Point" and looking far off in the distance and seeing my destination, "Dunwich Beach". The rest of the album represents my adventure to get there. While descending the peak, I pass through dark caves (Shadow), thick murky swamps (Lantern Marsh), and creepy forests with an odd air around (unfamiliar wind). After some time, I finally see the edge of the forest, and come to "A clearing". I go a bit further and arrive at my destination, Dunwich Beach - but I'm all alone and the beach is dark and silent. Use your imagination, and this album can be more entertaining than just hearing the sounds that make the music.

Eno manages to keep up a dark mood throughout this album, but there is enough variation to keep you entertained. I personally enjoyed tracks #1, 3, and 6 the most. There aren't any parts of this album that I disliked, however. My only complaint is how short the album is! I wish it took up the full CD, but this won't affect my review score. This album deserves nothing less than 5 stars.

I highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys the darker side of Ambient. You won't regret purchasing this, unless you only like music with headache-inducing drums and beats (which I do happen to enjoy as well, but I won't go there). October 7, 2007

the best ambient album I've ever heard

I've recently become a big fan of ambient music, due in large part to Brian Eno's work. Although there are many fine ambient albums out there by Eno and others, I think this one is the best. It's not because it's musically superior to other ambient works; in fact, it's not really music at all. But it is the perfect instantiation of the philosophy that ambient music should be music that can be listened to or ignored, and is equally pleasant either way. If you want a pleasant background to other activities you're doing, you can't ask for more than this. Even my cat likes this album, and when I put it on I can often hear her softly snoring, which adds another dimension to the experience ;-)

My only complaint is that I've listened to this album too many times; I wish there were 20 more like it. July 26, 2007

Tear inducing

This is perhaps the most beautiful album I have ever heard. To channel its emotions into words would do it an injustice and would be insulting the "music" and Brian Eno himself. October 17, 2006

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