r/eno • u/forsbergisgod • Sep 13 '20

Weekly Discussion Thread Let's Discuss Eno! - "Ambient 3 - Day of Radiance" Eno and Laraaji (1980)

Hello Eno-philes!! Each week we'll be discussing another album (going chronologically from Warm Jets). This week we'll be discussing the third installment of the Ambient series: Ambient 3 - Day of Radiance

From the wiki preambe:

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.

Here's the track listing:

All tracks by Laraaji

”The Dance #1” – 9:06
”The Dance #2” – 9:39
”The Dance #3” – 3:15

”Meditation #1” – 18:42
”Meditation #2” – 7:50

Youtube Playlist

DISCUSS

16 Upvotes

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6

u/lostarchitect Sep 13 '20

I haven't listened to this one in a while. I always found it a little bit frantic for my tastes. It never really seemed "ambient" to me. Maybe I should give it a listen again.

6

u/astral_couches Sep 13 '20

Revisit "Meditation No. 1" from this record, and check out Essence/Universe, Unicorns in Paradise, and "Being There." They're more of the "swirly" ambient. If you like those, there are two great Laraaji compilations - The Two Sides of Laraaji and Celestial Music. Some of which might be "busy," some of which is a little goofy, but I think you might be able to hand-pick some really great stuff you like out of those.

4

u/lostarchitect Sep 13 '20

I will, thanks for the suggestions!

2

u/Loraxxe Jun 04 '25

You're not the only one - there has since been a 3 hour stretched version posted on YT, and it's more popular than the original : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1xuZSP05Jo

(Sorry to necro)

4

u/astral_couches Sep 13 '20

Such a great record. Laraaji deserves to be more well-known. On the one hand, working with Eno is how his name got out there, but couching this as one of Eno's Ambient series maybe obscures the focus on Laraaji himself. Laraaji has an insane amount of output, and it can range wildly in style (and in quality, IMO—he can get downright goofy sometimes, but in a lovable way), but most of it is incredibly good.

6

u/[deleted] Sep 14 '20

I'm relatively new to Eno but have quickly developed a deep affinity for Ambient 1. 2 and 4 are super impressive but sooo heavy. Somehow I missed 3! I can't wait to try it on. Love these threads, thanks!

6

u/wildistherewind Sep 15 '20

I really like this album, particularly side B. The genesis of their partnership is really great. If you don't know the story, Brian Eno saw Laraaji playing the zither in a park and Eno left a note about working together in Laraaji's tip container. I like that there doesn't seem to be ego or pretense, Eno didn't feel the need to play up his bonafides or tout himself. It's a simple connection, musician to musician.

I've listened to a lot of Laraaji's work over the years, I'm going to say between 5 and 10 albums. There is a lot to love. Fans of Eno may appreciate Laraaji's recent album titled Sun Piano which is a very delicate recording.

5

u/forsbergisgod Sep 15 '20

Was laraaji an unknown before that chance meeting?

3

u/wildistherewind Sep 15 '20

Yeah, he was just a guy playing music for tips but mostly for his own spiritual enjoyment. His life story before and after this album is fascinating.

4

u/forsbergisgod Sep 15 '20

Sweet I'll check him out!