A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
[Kranky]
The brilliance of Adam Wiltzie never ceases to amaze me. As a member of Stars of the Lid, Aix Em Klemm, and the Dead Texan, he is responsible for some of the greatest ambient / post-classical music ever put to tape. Paired with the pianist Dustin O'Halloran on this Kranky release, Wiltzie managed to craft one of the most sublime and jaw-droppingly gorgeous musical experiences of the year. Working with a soft array of string drones, bass hums, and ethereal, cycling piano motifs reminiscent of Harold Budd or Ryuichi Sakamoto, the duo conjure an atmosphere of sedated melancholia, a sadness tempered by hope and the promise of future bliss. Too emotional and immaculately structured to be relegated to the status of mere "background music," A Winged Victory for the Sullen is a masterpiece of modern composition and deserves your full attention. [dl]
[thanks glowing raw]