Water

A deeply affecting collection of atmospheric soundtracks spanning ten years, 1981-1991, this album collects experimental works performed by David Cunningham with a cast of collaborators, including guitarist Robert Fripp and saxophonist Peter Gordon. Many of these short works were made for the purpose of scoring television documentaries and art installations, each reflecting a minimalist approach to atmospheric sound design that often recalls the work of Brian Eno. David Cunningham often approaches his work in a constant state of remixing; for example, most of the tracks here are reworkings and loops made from elements of his other albums, such as the gorgeous Fourth Wall. Others are scored for Cunningham's own mid-'80s projects made for U.K. television, where his similarly minimal film sketches were aired. Water's standout tracks are the circa-1986 guitar pieces where multi-tracked guitars are woven into a flurry of exquisite note-meshing that bears more than a few similarities to the work of Fripp & Eno on No Pussyfooting. ~ Skip Jansen|