Stars of the Lid

Stars of the Lid was an American ambient/drone duo formed in Austin, Texas in 1992 by Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride. Working with treated guitars, tape loops, piano, strings and horns, they built vast, slow-moving pieces closer to minimalist and drone composition than to rock or electronica, citing Erik Satie, Arvo Pärt and Brian Eno as touchstones. Their albums for Kranky, including Music for Nitrous Oxide (1995), The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid (2001) and And Their Refinement of the Decline (2007), became foundational texts of modern drone music. McBride died in 2023; Wiltzie, also known for A Winged Victory for the Sullen, has continued documenting the duo's unreleased archive.