Day of Radiance

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Day of Radiance
Day of Radiance cover
Original cover
Studio album by Laraaji
Released 1980
Genre Ambient
Length 49:00
Label Editions EG
Producer Brian Eno
Professional reviews
Laraaji chronology
Celestial Vibrations (1978) Day of Radiance (1980) I Am Ocean (1981)
Brian Eno chronology
Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror
(1980)		 Ambient 3: Day of Radiance
(1980)		 Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics
(1980)
Alternate cover
Current cover
Current cover

Ambient 3 / Day of Radiance (1980) is an album by the American ambient musician Laraaji (alias Edward Larry Gordon) which was produced by Brian Eno.

Contents

[edit] Overview

This album is the third edition of Eno’s Ambient series, which began in 1978 with Music for Airports, and was followed by The Plateaux of Mirror. The series ended with On Land.

Compared to the rest of the series, Day of Radiance features very little in the way of electronics. Laraaji uses a variety of acoustic stringed instruments such as a hammered dulcimer and 36-stringed open-tuned zither.

[edit] Track listing

  1. ”The Dance #1” – 9:06
  2. ”The Dance #2” – 9:39
  3. ”The Dance #3” – 3:15
  1. ”Meditation #1” – 18:42
  2. ”Meditation #2” – 7:50

[edit] The music

The first three tracks are variations on a theme named "The Dance", and are delivered in a fast, hypnotic, Gamelan-like, rhythmic pace on a hammered dulcimer. Eno's input is not only in the role of producer; he also adds many creative touches to the natural instrument-sounds. In particular, he "layers" the tracks, after which he applies phasing, reverberation/delay effects and graphic EQ to the point at which the dulcimer almost sounds like other instruments.

These processes are particularly noticeable on the last of the "Dance" pieces. The simple practice of slowing the tape down creates resonances that are deep, and distorted in places.

The final two tracks ("Meditation 1 & 2") are different; more in keeping with the "ambient" style featured on the rest of the series. These are slow, meandering beatless compositions performed on the zither, with the dulcimer adding the odd highlight. Eno's tactic in these two pieces is mainly to electronically highlight the zither's naturally long decay-rate, creating a highly ethereal sound.

[edit] Credits

  • Cover art & production : Brian Eno
  • Music : Laraaji
  • Instruments : Treated & amplified zither; hammered dulcimer

[edit] Versions

Country Label Cat. No. Media Release Date
UK Ambient/EG Records EGAMB 003 LP 1980
US EG Records EGS 203 LP 1980
US Caroline 1573 CD ?
US EG Records EGED/EEGCD-19 LP & CD 1987 & 1995

[edit] Miscellenea


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Brian Eno
Solo albums
With Roxy Music
With Robert Fripp
With Cluster
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Compilations
Publications
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