Search - Michael Brook, Brian Eno :: Hybrid

This is great ambient music

12/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have both this and 'Cobalt Blue/Live at the Aquarium'. and I have to say I only like the latter. 'Hybrid' seems to me a much better work than 'Cobalt'. I am a fan of Brian Eno's music, and I think he guides Brook through this record with an amazing result. It is one of the most engaging and soothing ambient records I have heard (and I have a huge ambient collection). It blows away any other guitar ambient record I have heard, including anything with/by Robert Fripp. This is touching and heart-warming music without the slightest bit of corn or cheese to it (two substances which mar parts of 'Cobalt Blue'). If you like ambient music, you owe it to yourself to buy this record NOW."

Nice effort

Sean M. Kelly | Portland, Oregon United States | 09/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was gung-ho to get this lp, as it had Eno, one of the all time greats on it, as well as Michael Brook, who's "Cobalt Blue" continues to amaze me for all its beauty.Fans of both men were probably a bit disappointed- Brook fans wanted more Brook; Eno fans saw this as not as strong an effort as it could have been. Perhaps they all are right, but taking the cd for what it has to offer, I very much enjoy it.Yes, its more an Eno lp than Brook, but that doesn't mean that Brook was a mere spectator in these proceedings. His contributions to the lp are strong, as are Eno's and Lanois', which makes for a great lp.Eno and Brook fans will come to appreciate this lp more over time, as they should. Its a fine ambient journey by all men, and it holds its own well."

Channel of light

loteq | Regensburg | 07/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After I had immersed myself into the quintessential avant-garde guitar rock of "Cobalt blue" and "Live at the aquarium", "Hybrid" first came as a little disappointment to me. Michael's arpeggio style isn't featured here, instead, this album reminds me of Brian Eno's "Ambient 4 - On land" and "Apollo". Dig a bit deeper, and you'll see that "Hybrid" is just as good as the aforementioned records, and perhaps even more engaging and accomplished. Michael's 'infinite guitar' can often be confused with flutes or violins, while the soft, subdued melodies add a much-needed human dimension to the ambitious soundscapes. The title cut and the ghostly "Distant village" have strange, swampy percussion rumbling in the background, but these tracks are so complex that the structures and melodies only emerge after a couple of listens. "Mimosa" and the intimate "Earth floor" have a more menacing, tension-filled undercurrent, while "Pond life" nearly entirely consists of field recordings. The refreshing, aptly titled "Ocean motion" and the bright "Midday" once again feature Michael's unobtrusive guitar style. "Vacant" closes things on a bass-heavy note and prefigures the sound of Brian Eno's "The Shutov Assembly". Overall, there are lots of magic moments in this album which are really worth being discovered. A must-have for fans of experimental ambient music."