Album: Daniel Lanois, Here Is What Is (Red Floor)

Here Is What Is is the soundtrack to a documentary in which the acclaimed producer of Dylan, U2 and Peter Gabriel tries to reveal “the source of the art, rather than everything that surrounds the art” – an impossible task, but one he comes close to fulfilling at various points here, most notably in enabling “Lovechild” to blossom into a complete song from the initial root of Garth Hudson’s piano improvisation.

His frequent control-room companion Eno pops up here and there to offer a word or two of advice, while Lanois himself applies his familiar hazy ambience to guitar and pedal-steel instrumentals such as “Smoke #6” and “Blue Bus”, and inquisitive, soul-searching songs such as “Where Will I Be” and “I Like That” - the latter his very own “My Favourite Things”.