Search - Stars of the Lid :: Refinement of the Decline

Another massive and stunning slab of ambience

somethingexcellent | Lincoln, NE United States | 04/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Tired Sounds Of came out nearly five and a half years ago and in the time since then has become one of my most trusted ambient releases. Sure, I love my Brian Eno and my more modern work by Deathprod and others, but there's something about the sounds that the duo of Stars Of The Lid put together on that release that call me back time after time. Of course, since that release came out, both members of the group have released solid solo albums (Adam Wiltzie's The Dead Texan and Brian McBride's When The Detail Lost It's Freedom), but neither of those releases seemed to quite match the power of the two when they were working together under that somnolent pseudonym.



And so And Their Refinement Of The Decline is not only a big release because it's their first in so many years, but also because it marks the ten year period of the two musicians working together, as well as the hundredth release on the venerable Kranky label. It's another sprawling 2CD, 3LP release from the group, clocking in at over two hours in length and it's quite possibly even more massive sounding and moving than their previous album.



That's saying a lot, and while it's not quite as immediately melodic as either of the solo albums from each member of the group, it's yet another album from Stars Of The Lid that simply seeps down around you and absorbs into your being. "Dungtitled (In A Major)" opens the release with a wheeze of filtered horns, then dissolves immediately into one of their familiar, yet somehow still highly moving widescreen panoramas of blurring strings, with a horn melody that creeps back in and tiptoes the line between mournful and triumphant. The two-part "Articulate Silences" is some of the most gorgeous stuff the two have ever done, letting breathy chords decay into silence before pushing into the foreground again, with the latter making subtle movements that weaken the knees.



When it was announced that Stars Of The Lid had another album coming out, I have to admit that it immediately shot to near the top of my list in terms of anticipated releases, but this eighteen song set still feels overwhelming (in a good way) at times. On the playfully-titled (one of several) "Don't Bother They're Here," huge waves of filtered drones pulse for over ten minutes while some underlying melodic elements play out slightly more actively, creating a nice juxtaposition of sound. Elsewhere, the ten-minute plus "The Daughters Of Quiet Minds" again feels familiar as a soft scarf or pair of gloves, but again shifts and breathes with just enough of a new edge that it's refreshing.



Yes, there are thousands of artists creating ambient music, and some of them probably have even nudged up slightly against the work that Stars Of The Lid create, but somehow this duo have managed to carve out another solid batch of songs that simply sound unlike anyone else doing this sort of thing. There are hints of modern classical, drone, and sheer textures that you won't find anywhere else, and when played on headphones (or nice speakers) And Their Refinement Of The Decline is literally a moving experience. Call it music for lucid dreaming, call it music for daydreams, or call it music for simply strolling in the dusk, this is another album that will stretch time and take you to another place.



(from almost cool music reviews)"

And the incline of the supine

John Mitchell | 07/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After the post-millennial brick that was "The tired sounds of...", I was afraid that I had heard the last of SoTL. With the guys off in different days (Belgium vs LA), the effort needed to pull together and create anything, let alone something to match their previous best (not to bash Avec Laudinum, Ballasted or the others)would have to be signifigant. But with Refinement they have surpassed all my expectations.



This is the finest record to come out of 2007.



From the Bartok-esque opening strains of Dungtitled (in A Major), to the final mews of December Hunting for Vegitarian F*ckface, there isn't a point where my attention wanes or my emotions fail to be stirred. This is music that is at the same time cosmic and microscopic. It is the mechanical dreams of Pioneer 10 as it slumbers its way to infinity. It is the opera of hydrogen atoms. It is the songs of the empty spaces in the ocean, and the sound of dust motes in a beam of light as you sleep on a saturday afternoon with your dog.



With most of the 'ambient' music that is out there (Eno, Koner, Twin's SAW II, etc), it pays to let it enter the background and occasionally pop up to your attention. With SoTL's newest, I stand-sit-sprawl before my speakers in awe, with wonder at the music = no less than the bombasts of Sigur Ros or GSYBE at their finest moments. Do not buy this for sleeping. Buy this for awakening."

Everything in One Place

mhouse | Phoenix, AZ United States | 05/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've just finished listening to this double CD (121 minutes). I must say that it took me to many places and reminded me of so many other wonderful artists. It opens like Koyaanisqatsi, and ends like an Indian raga. Between these bookends it sounds like shimmering Harold Budd and Brian Eno. Warm passages soothe the soul. Dark corners keep you alert. Various instruments fade in and out. This is my first excursion into Stars of the Lid and I'd bet it's the best place to start. Put it on, turn it up, and relax for 2 hours. Very enjoyable."