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Legendary avant-garde composer Harold Budd dies, aged 84

Harold Budd, American avant-garde minimalist composer, has died, aged 84.

News of the influential artist’s passing was confirmed on Facebook yesterday by close collaborator Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, who wrote: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Harold Budd. Rest in peace, poet of the piano.”

A post on Budd’s official Facebook page established that the cause of death was due to “complications of Covid-19”. The Guardian reports that Budd had suffered from a stroke in November. 

The late minimalist collaborated with Brian Eno in the early ‘80s on his ‘Ambient’ series, ‘The Plateaux Of Mirror’ and 1984’s ‘The Pearl’. Eno also produced Budd’s solo album, ‘The Pavilion Of Dreams’, in 1978. 

Over the course of his career, Budd has collaborated with artists including Andy Partridge, Daniel Lanois, and Akira Rabelais. 

His latest release, ‘Another Flower’ in collaboration with Guthrie, was released last week on December 4. 

Artists, fans, and labels have all taken to social media to share their tributes to Budd. Listen to Bismillahi ‘Rrahmani ‘Rrahim from ‘The Pavilion Of Dreams’ below. 

“The word ‘ambient’ doesn’t ring a bell with me. It’s meant to mean something but is, in fact, meaningless. It’s not relevant for me. My style is the only thing I can do well. I don’t think about genres. I don’t think about labels, they don’t have meanings.” -Harold Budd. RIP

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