Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe, two of the most forward-thinking figures in contemporary music, are preparing to release the final instalment of their ambitious trilogy of collaborative albums. Following the June arrival of ‘Luminal’ and ‘Lateral’, their forthcoming record, ‘Liminal’, is due on October 10 via Verve Records. The three works together form an expansive exploration of sound, mood, and atmosphere.
The journey began with ‘Luminal’, a record Eno and Wolfe described as “dream music.” Here, Wolfe’s emotive vocals and Eno’s ambient soundscapes fused to create something both intimate and almost otherworldly. The album drew inspiration from untranslatable words and concepts in global languages; terms like “mono no aware”, the Japanese expression for the poignancy of empathy, and “ya’aburnee”, an Arabic word for the wish not to live without a loved one.
Released alongside ‘Luminal’, ‘Lateral’ offered a striking contrast. Described as “space music,” it was anchored by a single hour-long piece titled ‘Big Empty Country’. The work unfolded slowly, built around sparse motifs that shifted with clarity. Where ‘Luminal’ offered lyrical intimacy, ‘Lateral’ invited listeners into an expansive meditation, a vast sonic landscape. Together, the two albums showcased Eno and Wolfe’s ability to explore extremes; one grounded in the warmth of human voice and the other pushing the envelope toward the edges of abstraction.
‘Liminal’ is the final offering in the trilogy, which the duo has characterized as “dark matter music.” In their words, it blurs the lines between song and non-song, a space they playfully call “nong.” If ‘Luminal’ was dreamlike and ‘Lateral’ otherworldly, ‘Liminal’ seeks to merge these worlds, drawing from both the vastness of the latter and the emotion of the former. The record is comprised of eleven tracks, including the already released singles ‘The Last to Know’ and ‘Ringing Ocean’.
Beyond the music itself, the project also shows the pair’s care for the planet. Like the earlier albums, ‘Liminal’ will be available in eco-friendly formats, including CDs, digital releases, black bio-vinyl, and a special translucent rose-colored vinyl. This fits with Eno and Wolfe’s shared interest in climate issues, which first brought them together during a 2022 discussion at SXSW about art and the environment. The album is available for pre-order here.
