Music, Style & Culture

First On: A Winged Victory For The Sullen

Subtle works, perfect for showing their true colours in a dark environment

When someone cites a certain album as their ideal companion for going to sleep with, it shouldn’t be taken as some kind of insult. We call albums “good to fall asleep to” not because they’re dull and repetitive; the equivalent of jumping sheep. We proclaim them as such because they’re subtle works, perfect for showing their true colours in a dark environment, through headphones, to a listener with their eyes closed – at their most vulnerable and inquisitive.

Around a decade ago the competition for producing a “perfect” nighttime listen closed its doors, as Stars of the Lid released their 2001 magnum opus ‘The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid’. At just under an hour and a half long, you were never likely to reach its climax – by around 30 minutes in, you’d be hypnotized; caught up in a web of comforting ambience. Anything subsequently released, by the band themselves or anyone else, was unlikely to reach the heights of this album, in terms of being the ultimate lullaby of a work.

It took a connection with Stars of the Lid to re-open the competition. A Winged Victory For The Sullen comprises of founding member Adam Wiltzie and composer Dustin O’Halloran; combining to produce eponymously titled ‘A Winged Victory For The Sullen’, an album of seven, delicious, dusky pieces. Connections with cellist Hildur Gudnadottir and singer-songwriter Peter Broderick make this an album of musicians coming together, throwing forward their boldest attempt at dislodging ‘The Tired Sounds…’ from its rightful helm, and making the new ultimate nighttime listen. Our eyes feel heavy just thinking about it.

Excerpts from the album can be heard here.