Customer Reviews

Drop

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a major fan of Eno's work, this came as a major disappointment upon it's release. At the time of it's release, he was contibuting/experimenting with Sseyo's Koan software, where one sets certain parameters to a intrument voice and the ware will generate music within those parameters. In fact, there was a set of "Eno pre-sets" you could buy from the company that you could plug in and you would have a ever-changing Eno soundtrack. That's what The Drop sounds like. It comes off as a phoned-in, by-the-numbers collection of uninspired Koan experiments. In fact, I came up with (arguably) more interesting sounding things playing around with a demo version of the software myself. Save your money, go the the Koan website and download a demo of the software yourself and come up with about the same thing.
This was the first release of Eno's that I was disappointed with and sadly, not the last. This marked the first in a long string of seemingly uninspired work from somone who at one time guaranteed a "Wow" on every release. A real shame.

A bit different than most of Eno's work, most of "The Drop" utilizes looped beats over which Brian lays various melodies with various synth tones. The closest this album comes to ambient is "Iced World" which also incorporates a rhythm loop. Eno has never released a truly bad album- this one is just a bit mediocre by his usual standards. If, like me, you're an Eno completist, you'll want this CD. If not, I'd advise you to start with "Discreet Music" or "Thursday Afternoon".

In his career, Brian Eno has covered a lot of ground. mostly in the instrumental vein, and he rarely repeats himself. As such, it is the case that sometimes there will be material that just doesn't work well (or at all) with a given listener as Eno pushes in new directions. For many (including myself), "The Drop" is one of those pieces. Consisting of 16 brief experiments and one extended work (and augmented on this reissue by two bonus tracks), mostly outside of the vein of ambient and rather experiments with looping, I have a hard time viewing most of this material as anything but a failure.

The unifying element here seems to be looped backgrounds over which theme-driven keyboard lines (that sound at least in part improvised) are played. Each track presents a different style, and nearly all of them end before they get anywhere. Some of them are interesting (pointless keyboard study "But If", bass-driven "Boomcubist", Morricone-tinged "Dutch Blur"), but by and large, its an exercise in irritating keyboard sounds ("Belgian Drop", "Out/Out"), unnervingly obnoxious samples ("Block Drop", the mind-numbing "M.C. Organ") and what sounds like unfocused and pretty much pointless keyboard excursions ("Cornered", "Blissed"). And in at least one case, all three of these manage to be true ("Rayonism").

The extended piece on the record ("Iced World") actually works out ok, but it FEELS like a half hour long piece. One of the great things about Eno's longform composition is that the pieces never feel as long as they are.

The remaster certainly sounds good enough, although the liner notes are nonexistent (its a one-sheet "booklet"). The album is augmented by two bonus tracks that are pretty much in the same vein as the rest of the album.

In short, "The Drop" is not essential Eno material. Its the kind of thing you get if you're a completionist, anyone else should look elsewhere.

Brian, what should we do with these 19 short throw away pieces laying around the studio? Just DROP them onto a CD and my loyal neibob fans will eat them up. Lite piano pieces followed by mysterious thumping tunes followed by ambient snippets then carnival electronica and back to the piano. Short disconnected noninnovative electronica. The cornerstone "Iced world" (the reason I purchased this CD) sounds like Lalo Schifrin's prelude music to the famous Bullitt car chase scene.... Build it and they will buy. Bye bye Bri.

I LOVE this CD and it remains one of my favorites to this day where it seems to present a more nightlike/industrial quietness all its own. There ARE some pulsating, uptempo moments too, but even THEY seem to exude a nocturnal/slightly mechanical feeling. My favorite slice of Eno here is the newly-added (for the 2005 reissue), "Iced World." Amazing and Eno-licious! This one's got a "bounce" AND a "tranquility" all its own; that's what makes it so special and uniquely different from the rest of his catalog. If I could compare it with another of his CD's, "Nerve Net" might come to mind, but without all the noisy Techno inflections. "The Drop" is much quieter than that and seems to rely more on sounds as opposed to beats. I LOVE it! It's kind of whimsical in a way too whereas one might imagine Mr. Rogers' neighborhood at 2 a.m. and "Trolley" just boppin' along after a couple of Sour Appletini's.

the Drop has some sort of david lynch spooky sound. also its hypnotizing and good to listen to at night while doing other work because it has a nice light groove. yeah, its not typical brian eno but its different, dark, and spacey.

Arguably the most controversial release of his career, Brian Eno takes minimalism to the edge with his experiment in looping rhythm tracks and filling in the space with keyboard notes in what are mostly mini-compositions.

As if this is a beckoning from a future world, there is a unique ambience to Slip, Dip and But If, some hip beats in M.C. Organ and Swanky and a successful foray into a longer composition, Iced World. What can be frustrating, though, is that some numbers - 19 total - are over before developing into a solid soundscape.

This is Eno taking the listener into a new vision of sound, though there needs to be more refinement before this technical revolution truly reaches artistic fruition.

Ok, this is not your usual Brian Eno fare, but it is at least somewhat different from what he has been usually producing. Soundwise he adopts a more modern approach, the acoustics of the bass are more modern especially. Not as bad as the other reviewer says.