Music for Films…And Television

A wealth of Brian Eno’s recordings have appeared in films and television shows, some intentionally written for that purpose and others that were used specifically for their spatial, expressive qualities relating to specific scenes or themes. Assorted selections from Eno’s contributions to film and TV have been released over the years, both on his own albums and soundtracks. Released digitally Nov. 13, and on vinyl/CD Jan. 22, Film Music 1976-2020 collects 17 of Eno’s most recognizable film and television compositions alongside many lesser-known gems and seven previously unreleased tracks.

So you might be familiar with “Deep Blue Day” from Trainspotting, or “Under” from Cool World, or “Dover Beach” from Jubilee, and you may have heard his cover of William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water” from Married to the Mob. But have you heard the Top Boy theme, or “Ship in a Bottle” from The Lovely Bones, or “Reasonable Question” from We Are as Gods? No, I didn’t think so. Film Music 1976-2020 only scratches the surface of Eno’s cinematic soundtrack work, but it’s a well-chosen and gratifyingly digestible introduction to it.

Photo by Shamil Tanna.