Loscil — Monument Builders

Loscil, is the ambient/electronic project of prolific Canadian producer, Scott Morgan. “Monument Builders” is the 16th album of a career dating back as far as 1999 at which time he released his debut as Loscil, “A New Demonstration of Thermodynamic Tendencies.”

The album was largely composed using sample-based instruments, and recorded at home in Vancouver.  He used a variety of everyday sound samples to create interesting textures, including recordings made on a vintage tape recorder which served as percussion and abstract aural colour.

Opening track Drained Lake begins with an electronic drone before ethereal chords drop in around the minute mark. Stark and ambient, the track continues in this vein until around the two-minute mark when a heavy dub-beat drops in and track slowly continues to build as it adds more layers creating more depth and a greater sense of tension. The track eventually drops off; however, the constant drone remains keeping that level of rising intensity, building towards the next track.

Second track Red Tide begins with an arpeggiated synth line that continues to build in much the way the drone of the opener had done. The pace is faster this time as it races towards its conclusion, but eventually gives way to some beautiful chilled ambient synth lines. Title track Monument Builders is more ambient in nature, however there are some truly haunting melodies that help to keep the track ticking along. Fourth track Straw Dogs presents dark, sinister soundscapes that grab hold of the listener, both hypnotic and building in intensity that evolves throughout the course of the track.

After the intense experience of the album up to this point, Deceiver is a break, ethereal and floaty piano chords, open a track that that feels much more laid back, there is no intense synth line propelling the track along this time, it’s an eerie and beautiful experience that wouldn’t sound out of place on the soundtrack to Twin Peaks. Anthropocene begins with a pulsing bass line not unlike the one used earlier in Red Tide, however the intensity of the track doesn’t build and it remains steady throughout. Final track Weeds has an element of The Orb about it, reminiscent at times of Earth (Gaia) from “The Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld”. It brings an appropriate conclusion to the album.

This is a very enjoyable album, that has provided the perfect soundtrack to my lazy Sunday afternoon.