Various

Lost is one of those rare cases where numerous artists have been united for a cause (in this case, paying homage to Harold Budd), yet have actually produced a cohesive and enjoyable effort. Maybe that's because this time it's a pretty good idea. Harold Budd's seminal body of work from the late '70s onward foreshadowed much of the same interests as the current crop of ambient music. Since the early '00s, artists like Fennesz and some of those featured on the compilation (Biosphere, Rafael Anton Irisarri, Xela, Deaf Center) have returned to the model trail-blazed by Brian Eno and also Budd, employing live instrumental sounds and processing to achieve their lush atmospherics. It's fitting that these various musicians acknowledge Budd's sweet, soft-focus piano filigrees with original compositions. Budd's catalogue is rather homogenous and while diverse, at least within this branch of smooth surface electronics, it's also, and satisfyingly so, consistently muted and cozy in tone. Featuring artists from the Touch, Kompakt, Type, Ghostly, Kranky and 12k rosters, as well as some lesser-known acts, this serves as a great round-up of some of recent ambient music's most intriguing voices.