Avec Laudenum

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Avec Laudenum is the fifth studio album by Stars of the Lid. It was released in 1999 on Sub Rosa and reissued in 2002 on Kranky. The title means “With Laudanum,” an old opiate.

The album has two parts: the first three tracks form one long piece with subtle changes, while the last two tracks are more minimalist and create a floating, blissful mood. Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride lived in Brussels and Los Angeles, respectively, and much of the album was created by exchanging ideas by mail.

Critics praised the work for its minimalist ambient sound. One review described it as moving at a glacier-like pace that induces a hypnotic trance and moments of euphoria. The centerpiece, “The Atomium,” is a 16-minute piece that gradually builds from soft drones into lush ambience, then slowly introduces backmasked guitars. Other tracks, like “Dust Breeding” and “I Will Surround You,” offer a transcendent feel and a more colorful, Technicolor mood.