Stars Of The Lid ‎– The Ballasted Orchestra

Not as well known as the group's later, more melancholic, string driven outings, TBO is nevertheless a fantastic work of agrophobic ambience. Imagine the organic drift of Eno's beautiful and seminal On Land but created only on electric guitars. Sounds impossible? Let SOTL transport through fantsic mental landscapes. Never in a hurry, SOTL let sounds gradually accumulate and seep into the unconscious mind on The Ballasted Orchestra. Ambient music fanatics really shouldn't miss this one and will probably have the thing looping on repeat all day.

As an album, I don't think this quite flows as well as other SOTL releases. Perhaps due to the 'darker' nature of some tracks, which is not to my tastes, and I don't think they pull them off that well. However, it contains some great moments, such as the aptly named 'Sun Drugs' in which you can almost feel the heat across the back of your neck, and the closer 'The Artificial Pine Arch Song' - 18 minutes of swirling bliss. I don't know what's making those noises (as with most SOTL it's probably guitar, swathed in effects), but it is my favourite SOTL track, and consequently one of my favourite pieces of music.

Essential album for those interested in true ambient music, although as a complete work, their 2001 double disc outing 'The Tired Sounds Of Stars Of The Lid' is perhaps better.