The Turning Year - Rarities 

好評を博した2022年のソロ・アルバム『ターニング・イヤー』の拡大版
《ロジャー・イーノ～ターニング・イヤー―Rarities》

2022年4月、ドイツ・グラモフォンから発売されたロジャー・イーノのソロ・アルバム『ターニング・イヤー』は季節の移ろいを喜ばしく受け止め、その美しさ、静けさ、悲しさ、そして素朴な楽しさについて語るものでした。
今回イーノはLPのためにリワーク作品、未発表のトラックとアルバム・セッションからの珠玉の曲を合わせ、レパートリーをさらに広げました。それらをまとめ『ターニング・イヤー-Rarities』と題したこのアルバムには、ヴァイオリニストのRosie Toll(ドイツの人気弦楽アンサンブル「スコーリング・ベルリン」のメンバー)やイーノの娘セシリーとロットとのコラボレーションとともに、イーノ自身のソロ作品が多数収録されています。「Moving Chords」は未発売のボーナス・トラックです。

Roger Enos first solo album for German classical institution Deutsche Grammophon follows Mixing Colours, an impressionistic collaboration with his brother Brian, as well as its companion EP, Luminous. The pieces on The Turning Year, some of which have been a part of Enos live repertoire for a while, are simply described by the artist as short stories or photographs that are closely related to each other. The song titles point to themes of reflection and hope for the future, but there isnt an overarching common thread, the way the previous album consisted entirely of pieces named after colors. Likewise, the compositions are often piano-based, but not always, and theyre presented in various levels of intimacy, with some more atmospheric than others. Opener "A Place We Once Walked" focuses on slow, stately pianos, which become embellished with a deep wash of strings for a brief, grand moment. String-based selections like "Slow Motion" and "Hope," which is laced with wind-like reverb near the end, resemble neo-classical darkwave in the way theyre filled with both sorrow and beauty. The title track instantly feels familiar and welcome, with a commanding, affectionate piano melody accompanied by rich swells of strings. Other pieces like "On the Horizon" and "Something Made Out of Nothing" are frostier and more abstract, although "On the Horizon" rewards patience with a magnificent blooming of emotion. The album concludes with "Low Cloud Dark Skies," a perfect soundtrack for the observation of an ebbing tide. This masterful release contains some of the most immediately appealing work in Enos discography. ~ Paul Simpson