This is an amazing album. I loved it on first listen, and still enjoy it every time. I find it energising and relaxing at the same time, as the compositions are intriguing yet gentle. Mr Eno has been a large contributing hand in a lot of great music over the past 40 years, and I don't think it's too brave to say this is the cream of the crop.
Eno is linked with the genre of "Ambient", and this typically means the kind of music you put on in the background and forget it's there. It's not for listening to, it's just for creating mood. Not so with this album. Each track has its own interesting textures that make it listenable. They're not 'songs', but they're very consise little compositions, kind of like audio paintings. Tracks like In Dark Trees and Little Fishes create imagery of precisely those descriptions - using sound only. The Big Ship sounds decidedly nautical, and Spirits Drifting really does make you imagine ghosts aimlessly meandering. Even Sky Saw creates an image of the sky being carved into pieces - though what that actually looks like isn't exactly clear.
The more conventional vocal tracks balance it out. It makes it feel like a pop album, which makes it more accessible than if it was purely instrumental. "St Elmo's Fire" is a perfect pop song. Robert Fripp makes a guest appearance to play the world's best guitar solo. I'm not exaggerating. I'm yet to hear better.
