All Saints: Collected Instrumentals 1977-1999
This collection of instrumentals offers a stark reminder of the sheer mind-boggling scope of David Bowie's sound and vision. Most of these 16 brooding soundscapes are plucked from Bowie's hugely influential 1977 albums,LowandHeroes. Taking his cue fromKraftwerk, Bowie enlisted ambient pioneerBrian Enoand decamped to Berlin. It's no exaggeration to say that the resulting albums were integral in defining the path of modern music. Throughout, there's a palpable sense of foreboding, perhaps best exemplified by "Sense of Doubt," a truly unsettling mesh of booming piano and spookily spiraling synths. That the Thin White Duke's Berlin material still dazzles is no surprise. However, it's the remarkable revelation--provided by a clutch of slightly more recent tracks--that he can still cut it that'll hearten disillusioned Bowie fans everywhere.--Chris King