Brian Eno will revive Opal Records on 16 October, beginning with reissues of Another Day on Earth (2005) and Drawn From Life (2001), his collaborative project with J. Peter Schwalm. Both albums have remained out of print internationally for nearly two decades. Eno, a founding member of Roxy Music and a pivotal force behind landmark records by David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, Devo and Coldplay, established Opal in 1988 as a platform for experimental and ambient music that fell outside mainstream industry channels. The label’s initial run, which paused in 1991, featured releases from Roger Eno, Harold Budd, Laraaji, Djivan Gasparyan, Hugo Largo, Zvuki Mu, Daniel Lanois, Jon Hassell and John Cale, before the catalogue transitioned to All Saints Records. One per cent of Opal Records sales will support EarthPercent, with further releases in the pipeline.

Another Day on Earth marked Eno’s return to song-based solo work after more than a decade focused on ambient and production projects, following 1992’s Nerve Net and released via Hannibal Records. Tracks like ‘This’, ‘How Many Worlds’ and ‘Caught Between’ anchor the album’s melodic core. Drawn From Life, originally licensed to Virgin Records, reflects the collaborative, systems-driven approach that defined Opal’s early catalogue. To coincide with the relaunch, two previously unreleased live videos from 2001 have surfaced: ‘Caught Between’, recorded at Coliseu do Porto during Porto Festival on 16 June, and ‘Persis’, captured at Naeba Ski Resort during Fuji Rock Festival on 29 July.

Both live recordings feature Eno alongside Schwalm, violinist Nell Catchpole, guitarist Leo Abrahams, drummer Christoph Buhse, bassist Tim Harries and percussionist Heiko Himmighoffen. Rights to both albums eventually reverted to Opal, resulting in their long absence from international circulation until now.

Stream ‘Afterlife’: