Upon experiencing them live and then hearing "Gravitational Pull vs. the Desire for an Aquatic Life" a few years ago, SotL redefined for me the aesthetic of 'ambient' music and just how beautiful it can be. Now Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride (and others, including previous collaborator painter Jon McCafferty and film artist Luke Savisky) return with 124 more minutes of sleepy soliloquy.
Perhaps more so than ever they have shaped their signature sound clouds into orchestrated song structures, many being multi-part suites with readily identifiable movements. Loops and swathes of pure auditory warmth, often ingrained with or gradually overcome by the sweet strains of cello, wax and wane slow (e)motion melodies. Atmospheric location recordings, found sounds and a few obscured piano passages are also scattered throughout, not to disrupt or detract, but to help occasionally bring the heavenliness back down to Earth. This music engages, engulfs and expands the conscious and unconscious alike. This music is for rapid eye movement dreams, waking dreams and walking dreams alike. This music is ... simply gorgeous, nearly perfect. Stars of the Lid are set to tour Europe with Loscil next January.
 
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