Hi, Michael! In my opinion, the lyrics in ’These Small Voices’ refer to the end of humanity/civilisation. The lyrical imagery of ‘We Let It In’ and ‘Garden of Stars’ and even the last verse of ’There Were Bells’ suggests that humanity’s destiny (and the fate of all life/matter in the universe) is to burn. My interpretation is that the ‘hope’ of life persisting/surviving beyond our extinction event is the uncanny voice on the final track. The sound of emergence and something strange/new/familiar/different to us. But that’s just my reading of it, based on a few weeks of listening. I think it’s a fantastic album, up there with his best work ever. Profoundly moving, and beautifully executed.
(Leah Kardos‘ review on Brian Eno‘s new album can be read in the november edition of „Wire“; Leah Kardos is the author of „Blackstar Theory: The Last Works of David Bowie)