Album of the Day

Talk Talk frontman Mark Hollis always had an interest in jazz and avant-garde but didn’t have the opportunity to express it until THE COLOUR OF SPRING’s success prompted their label to give the band a free hand in the studio. Working for nearly a year on the follow-up with producer Tim Friese-Greene, the group released SPIRIT OF EDEN, a striking departure from their earlier work. Trading in synthesizers for live instrumentation, the 1988 collection features atmospheric arrangements and a deeply spiritual tone on such tracks as “I Believe in You.” The album got perfect 10s from outlets Uncut and Pitchfork, which called it a “masterful, groundbreaking sound that laid the foundation for post-rock.” Hollis died on this day in 2019 and we’ll remember him with the sublime SPIRIT OF EDEN.