Stars of the
Lid are an American instrumental band specializing in repetitive, droning music
taking elements of esoteric, classical music and combining them with ambient
noises. 2001’s double album, The Tired
Sounds of Stars of the Lid features many multi-part tracks, many of which are
designed to lull you into a most pleasant stupor
Some tracks
feature cello prominently though the instrumentation all sounds so strange that
individual instruments are barely discernible, as the music is all processed
and altered.
Some of it is
very zen and soothing, the kind of music you might hear in a flotation tank,
and some of it is staggeringly beautiful.
Requiem for Dying Mothers Part 2 manages all of the above in seven and a
half minutes. On a melody reminiscent of
Low, the tired sounds of cellos enter the mix half way through, taking the
listener off to the most heavenly dream states.
Down 3
features voices and static swooping in and out as a distant piano plays. At times the instruments are barely
noticeable or audible, all that is head is ambient noise. It’s hard not to think of Eno on tracks like
Austin Texas Mental Hospital and Broken Harbors.
At more than 2
hours it can be a bit long and there often appears to be long periods where “nothing
is happening”. However at its most
digestible (the 3 minute Gasfarming, and FAC 21) it works well. One of the most musical moments here is Piano
Aquieu, which has a fine piano intro before relapsing into ambient bliss.
It’s an album
that requires a lot of patience as the music is so minimal as to be barely
there, yet its tired sounds are worth investing your time.
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