Cobalt Blue Michael Brook jump to: credits | tracks | notes | images | related

4AD
30 June 1992

Produced by Michael Brook.
All DX7 voices by Brian Eno and Michael Brook.
Recorded at Brian Eno's studio and Michael Brook's Hybrid studio.

Art direction and design by Vaughn Oliver and Chris Bigg at v23.
Northern Lights by Russell Mills
Still-life photography by Simon Larbalestier.
Portrait by the Douglas Brothers.
Model making by Pirate.

1. Shona Bridge (Brook) 4'36
   • Hahn Rowe: violin
   • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, synthesizers
   • James Pinker: keyboard bass, acoustic percussion
   • Brian Eno: structural arrangement
2. Breakdown (Brook) 4'10
   • Nell Catchpole: violin
   • Brian Eno: string arrangement
   • Michael Brook: guitar, buzz bass
   • Roger Eno: accordion, vibraphone
3. Red Shift (Brook) 4'51
   • Hahn Rowe: violin
   • Roger Eno: piano, accordion
   • James Pinker: fan drum, keyboard bass
   • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, synthesizers
4. Skip Wave (Brook) 3'31
   • Ben Arion: vocal
   • Daniel Lanois: snare du riz
   • Michael Brook: guitar, percussion
   • Richard Henderson: short wave simulation
5. Slipstream (Brook) 2'05
   • James Pinker: all percussion
   • Michael Brook: infinite guitar
6. Andean (Brook) 3'33
   • James Pinker: bells
   • Michael Brook: ivi guitar to midi converter, guitar
7. Slow Breakdown (Eno, Brook) 2'34
   • Nell Catchpole: violins
   • Roger Eno: vibraphone
   • Brian Eno: string arrangement
   • Michael Brook: guitar, buzz bass
8. Ultramarine (Brook) 4'34
   • Jo Burgess: voice
   • Michael Brook: guitar
   • Roger Eno: synthesizer
   • James Pinker: fan drum
   • Brian Eno: Structural arrangement
9. Urbana (Brook) 4'05
   • James Pinker: acoustic percussion, keyboard bass
   • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, guitar, synthesizer
   • Brian Eno: structural arrangement
10. Lakbossa (Brook) 3'40
    • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, synthesizer
    • Brian Eno: structural arrangement
11. Ten (Brook) 3'49
    • James Pinker: bells
    • Roger Eno: vibraphone
    • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, buzz bass, guitar, mbira
    • Brian Eno: structural arrangement
12. Hawaii (Brook) 4'10
    • Daniel Lanois: bass, oral percussion
    • Brian Eno: drum machine, treatments
    • Michael Brook: infinite guitar, percussion, synthesizer

total duration: 45'50

A review by Colin Glassey
(reprinted with permission from Colin Glassey's Home Page)

Cobalt Blue is a superb record. Nearly every track is standout music and some of the tracks are absolutely perfect: Urbana, Ultramarine, and Lakbossa being the three best.

This is guitar music, alternately driven then abstract. Sometimes it just shimmers in the moonlight, other times it cuts accross time like a knife, the notes hard and brilliant like saphires in the sun. This is music that is a joy to listen to. Somehow it challenges you to think, to follow the line of the melody as a weaves in and out of the surrounding fabric of supporting musical lines.

This record has my highest recomendation