The $25,000 Turntable Designed by Brian Eno That Glows in Different Colors as It Plays
When we think of Brian Eno’s work, we first think of his records. These include not just his own classics of “ambient music” — a term he popularized — like Discreet Music and Music for Airports, but also the albums he’s produced: Devo’s Q. Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, U2’s The Joshua Tree, David Bowie’s Outside. Yet even before he got into music, Eno was painting, and in some sense, he’s never stopped. He was describing his work with sound as the creation of “imaginary landscapes” even in the nineteen-eighties; in this century, he’s continued to put out records while creating ever-more-high-profile works of a more visual nature, from installations to apps.
A few years ago, Eno even got into the business of functional sculpture, designing a turntable that emanates LED light of various, gradually shifting colors while it plays records. “The light from it was tangible as if caught in a cloud of vapor,” said Eno about his early experience with the finished product, quoted at designboom upon the announcement of its limited production run in 2021.
“We sat watching for ages, transfixed by this totally new experience of light as a physical presence.” Now comes the sequel, Eno’s Turntable II, which will be produced in equally restricted numbers. “Those who can afford one of the 150 limited units also receive the musician’s signature and edition number engraved on the side of the neon turntable’s base,” says designboom.
Eno’s turntable design recently drew attention as the inspiration for U2’s stage set during their residency at Las Vegas’ brazen new venue The Sphere. In the home, it serves multiple functions: “When it doesn’t have to do anything in particular, like play a record, it is a sculpture,” Eno says, “and when it’s in action, it’s a generative artwork. Several overlapping light cycles will keep producing different color balances and blends — and different shadow formations that slowly evolve and never exactly repeat.” Die-hard fans who know how long Eno has been following this artistic and intellectual thread may consider Turntable II’s £20,000 (or more than $25,000 USD) price tag almost reasonable. And next to the $60,000 Linn Sondek LP12 Jony Ive redesigned last year, it’s practically a bargain.
Related content:
Brian Eno Explains the Origins of Ambient Music
Watch Brian Eno’s “Video Paintings,” Where 1980s TV Technology Meets Visual Art
Brian Eno on Creating Music and Art As Imaginary Landscapes (1989)
Brian Eno Shares His Critical Take on Art & NFTs: “I Mainly See Hustlers Looking for Suckers”
World Records: New Photo Exhibit Pays Tribute to the Era of Vinyl Records & Turntables
Pizza Box Becomes a Playable DJ Turntable Through the Magic of Conductive Ink
Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the Substack newsletter Books on Cities, the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
