Brian Eno is MORE DARK THAN SHARK

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Music Times JULY 11, 2014 - by Ryan Book

BRIAN ENO AND KARL HYDE GET IT RIGHT ON SECOND COLLABORATION ALBUM 'HIGH LIFE'

Brian Eno and Karl Hyde become the first act to make two appearances in our Back Of The Billboards feature, having been the last new album on the Billboard 200 twice already during 2014. Oddly enough, the May release Someday World came in at Number 194, the same spot as the newer drop High Life.

The difference between the two is more relevant than the curious coincidence however: High Life is great. We lamented during our write up on the pair's first album that "a more balanced attack would serve these tracks well. There's actually not enough Hyde." This album was created far before our mini-review ran of course, but we'll still take a false sense of accomplishment for "fixing" the all-star electronic duo's approach.

Eno is a man of many moods but he's always been most noted, at least in his solo work, for the ambient style that dominated Someday World. High Life finds a product more comparable to that of his work with David Byrne, a more upbeat yet still refined approach. Of course Eno's now working with Hyde, of Underworld fame, and his partner deserves credit for bringing his background up to the surface here.

Check out Lilac, a track that bustles along for nearly ten minutes but never loses steam, and allows its creators to sing along.