This month, I'm breaking the rules. I've no evidence, no figures, no statistics to explain why 'The Plateaux of Mirror' is a classic. No critical acclaim has lauded over it. I shall simply say this. Play it.
Image taken from allmusic.com
Brian Eno was at the forefront of Ambient music. He’s credited with coining the term. Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror was the second part of a four part story. Ambient 2 is largely a piano piece, a series of simple single instrument instrumentals.
But it is so much more. When listening, at times you can feel like you are lost in mist on a mountain range, or floating on a raft on an endless ocean.
It’s these feelings the album has and gives that made me want to present it to you with these 10 images.
Without lyrics, one can only guess as to meaning, the titles lend a hand here, but the sound is my guide.
Photo by rake
First Light: The calm gentle loneliness and beauty of a sunrise over the ocean.
Photo by adam_g2000
Steal Away: One of mine, when a small child is calm and at rest occupied quitely in what they are doing, just watching can be a wonderful thing. My boy here goes off on his own occasionally, I just follow at a distance to make sure he’s safe.
Photo by mephisto19
The Plateaux of Mirror: I’m unsure as to what a plateaux of mirror may be, but this, with the flow and ebb and rattling makes me think about a forest, lost but not caring.
Photo by dakadev_pui
Above Chiangmai: This should speak for itself!
Photo by moodification
An Arc of Doves: This is one of the rare songs on the album that has a playful aspect to it. It resonates of birds in flight.
Photo by barakalofi
Not Yet Remembered: A sad song, full of regret and feeling.
Photo by lighthouseblues
The Chill Air: Listening to the echo, you can almost feel the chill and frost and steam from your mouth as you breath.
Photo by orangebird
Among Fields of Crystal: This picture has been on the site for a few years, you may recognise it. The place, the colour, the beautiful loneliness just fits.
Photo by flashback
Wind In Lonely Fences: This has a very etherial, dark sound to it. Nothing overly suggestive, not haunted, simply haunting.
Photo by vicuna
Failing Light: The anitithesis to the first track on the album, the sunset closes the day on this beautiful album.
2 comments
alex34
Agree it is a brilliant album, but for me it is Harold Budd's piano that really makes it. Nobody else I ever heard ever played piano quite like that.
adam_g2000
@alex34 You are right, the piano on it is marvelous it pulls it all together and gives it a core. If the album was a train it would be the track it runs on.