Brian Eno should require no introduction and yet relatively few know of his accomplishments. Because of unique releases like Discreet Music and Music For Airports, he is widely considered one of the most prominent figures in the ambient music scene. While many of his contemporaries have fizzled out, either retiring from the music world or rehashing their old classics, Eno remains a prolific artist. Impressively, his newfound success as a producer for such crowd favorites as U2 and Coldplay does not overshadow his continual prowess in releasing well-made and shockingly non-mainstream albums. Small Craft on a Milk Sea resides in this category. His first in five years, Small Craft continues where the deeply personal album Another Day on Earth left off, while harkening back to his groundbreaking ambient works.
""Emerald and Lime"" kicks off the album, not with a bang, but with warm and soothing melodies that appear to set the tone for the remainder of the album. In fact, Eno has lulled the listener into a false sense of security, but Small Craft soon takes a more serious and contemplative route. The first three tracks serve as a distinct introductory section of the album, a perfect amalgamation of his darkest environments.
A string of beat-driven electronic tracks that eschew all ambient characterize the next section of the album. ""Flint March"" is a forceful song whose heaviness brings to mind the sedimentary allusions of its title. ""2 Forms of Anger"" seethes until its cathartic climax transforms into no wave guitar dissonance. Reaching its end with the eclectic and jaunty ""Paleosonic,"" this mid-section of the album is a startling progression. The somber tone introduced in the beginning of the album gives way to more adrenaline-infused songs, something not seen from Eno's solo albums in quite some time. These tracks show that Eno has an ear for the present in which electronic music is as relevant as ever. Because of this, he builds upon the archetypal characteristics of the genre to form his own unique sound.
""Slow Ice, Old Moon"" embarks on the third and final portion of the album. Here we experience a return to the atmospheric ambience, ripe with evocotive soundscapes, a style that Eno has perfected.
Another Day on Earth was all about the realization of one's mortality, enhanced by impending old age. These existential themes are continued in the idea of the transiency of life. Up to this point in the album, Small Craft on a Milk Sea yields a rollercoaster of emotions. Quite profoundly, this album seems to convey a sadness in the realization that the emotions we all experience are ephemeral when considered within the vast scope of time.
Perhaps the most obvious allusions to this idea exist within the final track, ""Invisible."" Beginning with the joyous screams of friends, the song ultimately ends with the organic sounds of nature, reminding us yet again of our mortality.
Eno's worth today as a contemporary musician is affirmed, yet again, in Small Craft on a Milk Sea. To stay relevant in his ‘60s is an achievement in and of itself. More so than mere relevance, Eno is shown to be an innovator, moving forward, while not alienating his fans, but still creating a fantastic and emotional album in the process. Although somewhat genre-bending, Small Craft nevertheless retains the spirit of Eno's ambient releases by giving the listener wonderful sounds to enter their subconscious. This is an album that rewards both the passive and the active listener, offering to those who dig deeper the aforementioned existential themes that ultimately push this album to the next level of greatness.
