Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror
Harold Budd · 1980
39 min · 10 tracks · jazz
Ethereal soundscapes blend with minimalist piano, creating a tranquil and reflective auditory experience.
Top tracks — play these first
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First Light — Opening the album, this track sets a serene tone with its delicate piano motifs and atmospheric textures, embodying the essence of ambient music.
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The Plateaux of Mirror — This title track encapsulates the album's meditative quality through its evolving harmonies and subtle interplay between sound layers.
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Among Fields of Crystal — Featuring shimmering synths and soft piano, this piece exemplifies Budd’s skill in crafting immersive sound environments that evoke visual landscapes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
InstrumentalThe album's ethereal soundscapes and minimalist approach create a unique listening experience that rewards repeated plays.
What we noticed
- The album features long, sustained notes and minimal melodic movement, creating a sense of spaciousness.
- Each track typically begins with a soft piano motif that gradually layers ambient textures, often leading to a gradual fade-out.
- The overall length of tracks varies, but many exceed five minutes, allowing for extended exploration of sound.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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9/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- meditative soundscapes for reflection
- gentle piano melodies for calm
- steady pacing encourages deep listening
- introspective moments of solitude
- ethereal ambiance for focused work
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy stimulation
- prefer short, upbeat tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1980, Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror marked Harold Budd's exploration into ambient music after his collaborations with Brian Eno. This album followed his 1978 debut, The Pavilion of Dreams, and further established Budd as a pioneering figure in the ambient genre during the late 20th century.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Brian Eno· Ryuichi Sakamoto· Tangerine Dream
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 First Light 7:08
- 2 Steal Away 1:29
- 3 The Plateaux of Mirror 4:14
- 4 Above Chiangmai 2:55
- 5 An Arc of Doves 6:29
- 6 Not Yet Remembered 3:50
- 7 The Chill Air 2:13
- 8 Among Fields of Crystal 3:24
- 9 Wind in Lonely Fences 3:58
- 10 Failing Light 4:14
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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