[.ca] Hybrid

nice effort:
I was gung-ho to get this lp, as it had Eno, one of the all time greats on it, as well as Michael Brook, who's "Cobalt Blue" continues to amaze me for all its beauty. Fans of both men were probably a bit disappointed- Brook fans wanted more Brook; Eno fans saw this as not as strong an effort as it could have been. Perhaps they all are right, but taking the cd for what it has to offer, I very much enjoy it. Yes, its more an Eno lp than Brook, but that doesn't mean that Brook was a mere spectator in these proceedings. His contributions to the lp are strong, as are Eno's and Lanois', which makes for a great lp. Eno and Brook fans will come to appreciate this lp more over time, as they should. Its a fine ambient journey by all men, and it holds its own well.

exotic and highly imagative:
I'm not quite sure how to describe "Hybrid". I guess musical landscapes to 8 different settings. Turning the volume up and closing my eyes I venture into some African village that has never seen white man, doing their tribal ritual dance... I am lured into a deep hypnotic trance. Swatting the mosquitos away I stumble upon a jaded blue pond, the marshlands infested with venomous creatures. Standing out in a mid west wheat field, a gentle breeze stirring through out, a constant clattering of crickets. Diving into the coral reefs, brilliant flashes of colour from fishes of various shapes and sizes coming your way. These are the impressions I get from listening to "Hybrid". I may get something completely different the next time I listen to it. When it comes to ambient music, I don't think you can find better musicians than Michael Brook, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. All three are multi talented producers and musicians...so they should have a pretty good idea in what texture to put to the music. There isn't a lot of different instruments heard through out, obviously there is lots of over dubbing and Michael's infinity guitar may also have a saying in that. The infinity guitar is a guitar Michael invented and with only three in existence, Daniel Lanois and The Edge of U2 owning the other two. Okay maybe "Hybrid" isn't everybody's cup of tea and it may seem a bit monotonous at times. Some people may think that "Cobalt Blue" is a far superior c.d and in some regards it is. "Hybrid" to me seems to flow aimlessly and not put to much enthusiasm in being creative. It's highly imagative music as opposed to anything else I listen to.

captivating ambient:
The music on this cd ranges from the semi-quasi-rapid pulsing of the first song to smooth keyboard with tabla, sampled insects, & eerie, sparse keyboard. It's ambient music that doesn't ever bore or irritate with over-spareness or techno obtrusiveness, & is very interesting for what other inspirations you might not hear much in music are thrown in. Great ambience, music to soak the room with a mood you can't put your finger on, very highly recommended.

This is great ambient music:
I have both this and 'Cobalt Blue/Live at the Aquarium'. and I have to say I only like the latter. 'Hybrid' seems to me a much better work than 'Cobalt'. I am a fan of Brian Eno's music, and I think he guides Brook through this record with an amazing result. It is one of the most engaging and soothing ambient records I have heard (and I have a huge ambient collection). It blows away any other guitar ambient record I have heard, including anything with/by Robert Fripp. This is touching and heart-warming music without the slightest bit of corn or cheese to it (two substances which mar parts of 'Cobalt Blue'). If you like ambient music, you owe it to yourself to buy this record NOW.

Channel of light:
After I had immersed myself into the quintessential avant-garde guitar rock of "Cobalt blue" and "Live at the aquarium", "Hybrid" first came as a little disappointment to me. Michael's arpeggio style isn't featured here, instead, this album reminds me of Brian Eno's "Ambient 4 - On land" and "Apollo". Dig a bit deeper, and you'll see that "Hybrid" is just as good as the aforementioned records, and perhaps even more engaging and accomplished. Michael's 'infinite guitar' can often be confused with flutes or violins, while the soft, subdued melodies add a much-needed human dimension to the ambitious soundscapes. The title cut and the ghostly "Distant village" have strange, swampy percussion rumbling in the background, but these tracks are so complex that the structures and melodies only emerge after a couple of listens. "Mimosa" and the intimate "Earth floor" have a more menacing, tension-filled undercurrent, while "Pond life" nearly entirely consists of field recordings. The refreshing, aptly titled "Ocean motion" and the bright "Midday" once again feature Michael's unobtrusive guitar style. "Vacant" closes things on a bass-heavy note and prefigures the sound of Brian Eno's "The Shutov Assembly". Overall, there are lots of magic moments in this album which are really worth being discovered. A must-have for fans of experimental ambient music.

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