by Ben Hogwood
The work of Andrew Weatherall is greatly missed, not least because he managed to include so many different forms and genres in his writing. We don’t always associate him with ambient music, but Sabres of Paradise, the group he was part of with Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns, wrote an absolute beauty with this heat-soaked track:
Published post no.2,979 – Monday 9 August 2026
by Ben Hogwood
A full appreciation of the visionary producer William Orbit will follow tomorrow, but for now here is one of the most effective tracks from his album recasting classical music, Pieces in a Modern Style. In it he takes two of Henryk Górecki‘s Pieces in the Old Style, of which this is the first:
Published post no.2,978 – Sunday 8 August 2026
by Ben Hogwood
Michael Brook’s Cobalt Blue album from 1992 has just been re-released by 4AD, bringing his form of studied guitar ambience to new audiences, while reminding those who listened the first time around just how good it is.
Brook played the ‘infinite guitar’, an instrument he created that could sustain notes indefinitely. He was joined by ambient music royalty, with Brian and Roger Eno contributing, along with Daniel Lanois. The result is a rather beautiful long-form composition dividing nicely into 12 parts. The second, Breakdown, is particularly blissful:
Published post no.2,972 – Friday 6 August 2026
by Ben Hogwood
Often regarded as the original ambient tracks, Erik Satie’s Trois Gymnopédies are much-loved across the genres – and have been since their composition in 1888. Any ‘peaceful piano’ playlist on the digital service platforms is likely to include one of these three pieces, and if it doesn’t will include music falling under their influence.
Part of this is their accessibility, for they are relatively easy to play on the piano…but they are also difficult to get right, for each one casts a particular spell. The simple melodies are deceptively emotive, qualities that Anne Queffélec brings to the fore here:
Published post no.2,970 – Thursday 6 August 2026
by Ben Hogwood
I still know far too little of Pat Metheny‘s work, but a very good friend – whose musical taste I trust implicitly – introduced me to some of his work made for ECM in the late 1970s. It has stuck with me, but in particular the New Chautauqua album of 1978, which contains this sunny yet hypnotic composition:
Published post no.2,969 – Wednesday 5 August 2026
