Brian Eno is an immensely influential figure in the history of music, often regarded as the father of ambient music. We can thank or reproach him for the new philosophies of musical composition in film, video games, and even public spaces, where music is not the main actor but an element integrated into the whole. The best ambient music is that which can be ignored; hence, composers in this genre exert immense effort, using all their technique and skill to create coherent works devoid of tension, cleverly disguising harmonic changes (if any) while reinforcing the intentions of the space it inhabits.

In this case, the review begins with a bit of history and an overview of what ambient music is, because the EP we're reviewing is itself a retrospective. Retrace Your Steps is a remastering of Eno's earlier works. A remaster can achieve two objectives: giving fans the chance to hear old works through the lens of the latest technology and attracting new audiences, particularly younger ones who might not be familiar with masters like Eno.

Despite everything said about ambient music, Retrace Your Steps focuses on Brian's rock phase, offering interesting reflections and allowing us to trace the origins behind the mastermind of ambient music. This may be because it pairs perfectly with another recent release of Eno’s, Sushi. Roti. Reibekuchen, a recording of a live concert performed with Holger Czukay and J. Peter Schwalm. Originally intended as a streaming concert only, this recovery encompasses improvisation and rock elements with his signature ambient style production. Pairing these two releases provides a rewarding sense of evolution in the perspective of music history or merely as observers of the artist's "character development."

I recommend these two EPs to any enthusiast of Eno's work, but also to anyone interested in learning more about ambien music and history of music production.

Author: Martín Cacho

Martín is a video game composer, producer and writer from Sonora, México.