Loscil – Monument Builders – Album Review

This is the tenth album by Scott Morgan under the guise of Loscil. He also has a variety of EPs and other releases which make for an impressive collection of work. Morgan has also performed as the drummer with indie band Destroyer but this work is quite far removed from the Indie world.

It is another collection of ambient sounds, which should come as no surprise to his fans. There are some tracks that are less subtle than the usual, but the opening track Drained Lake is as restrained as they come. With a whirling sample and gentle synthesiser sound, this is a tender introduction to the album proper. Red Tide has more structure, with a strong 80s synth blasting out. The surprise introduction of brass sounds make it all the more obscure. Title track Monument Builders starts with a reoccurring phrase that is slowly added to over time. The introduction of brass comes as less of a surprise this time round. Straw Dogs is less based in the electronic world with strings and brass, and actually works well to break up the mood of what has gone before. The sound builds to quite a large scale and could work well on a soundtrack, as it was intended. Weeds finishes the album with another slow start that draws the listener in to hear the gusts and blows. The electronic sounds then emerge, darting and wafting around. It is possibly the highlight of the album.

Edward Burtynsky

Morgan has cited some unusual inspiration for this new album including Koyaanisqatsi, John Gray’s Straw Dogs and some photographs of environmental pollution by Edward Burtynsky.  These can only be starting points and it would be difficult to see how they are connected to the sounds. Morgan is one of the most creative ambient artists working today, and this is another impressive addition to his oeuvre.

Track List:

Drained Lake
Red Tide
Monument Builders
Straw Dogs
Deceiver
Anthropocene
Weeds