The Essence/Universe

AMG Review of The Essence/Universe

Ted Mills
All Music Guide

Ambient fans must have had a shock when the needle dropped on Laraaji's Brian Eno-produced debut, Day of Radiance -- instead of the usual relaxing sounds came the echoing ricochets on the modified hammer dulcimer-like instrument that the musician plays. On this, Laraaji's 1987 album, he sounds more like Eno once they're apart. Essence/Universe is two side-long pieces that make up a whole -- long, liquid passages of treated zither -- sounding very close to Eno's On Land or Thursday Afternoon. The whole album glows orange and blue and makes for some pleasant background listening.