The Depths · All albums

And Their Refinement of the Decline

Stars of the Lid · 2007

• Scores: Noise 1, Unease 2, Complexity 1 (each 1 to 5)
• Genre: Electronic, Drone
• Mood: tranquil, wistful, vast
• Sound: ambient, drone, orchestral strings, horns, no drums, no vocals, double album, very long songs, slow tempos

And Their Refinement of the Decline is a double album of ambient drones by Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride, composed and recorded in Brussels and Los Angeles and released by Kranky on 2 April 2007 as its 100th release. It is built from treated guitar, piano and horns, with cello, trumpet, flugelhorn, clarinet, harp and a children's choir, and runs for over two hours in minimal, slow pieces of very different lengths. "Don't Bother They're Here" uses the melody of Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns", and "Dopamine Clouds Over Craven Cottage" refers to the Fulham F.C. ground.

Track list

1. Dungtitled (in A major) (5:54)
2. Articulate Silences, Pt. 1 (5:24)
3. Articulate Silences, Pt. 2 (5:37)
4. The Evil That Never Arrived (5:05)
5. Apreludes (In C Sharp Major) (3:44)
6. Don't Bother They're Here (10:10)
7. Dopamine Clouds Over Craven Cottage (5:55)
8. Even If You're Never Awake (Deuxième) (9:20)
9. Even (Out) + (4:51)
10. A Meaningful Moment Through a Meaning(less) Process (4:32)
11. Another Ballad for Heavy Lids (4:32)
12. The Daughters of Quiet Minds (13:21)
13. Hiberner Toujours (1:49)
14. That Finger on Your Temple Is the Barrel of My Raygun (5:04)
15. Humectez La Mouture (5:31)
16. Tippy's Demise (8:18)
17. The Mouthchew (3:40)
18. December Hunting for Vegetarian Fuckface (17:45)