Be still my heart! TMT got word of news involving Stars of the Lid, and I naturally jumped to the conclusion that ambient legends Adam Wiltzie (now one-half of A Winged Victory for the Sullen) and Brian McBride were reuniting and on the verge spilling new atmospheres all over our collective forehead. Such EAR-SHATTERING AMBIENT news would have been enough to our to tear our Mix Tape tiny house down.

But alas, upon further inspection, we’ll have to settle for slightly more regular ol’ news — which nonetheless is still EAR-SHATTERING because it still involves Stars of the Lid — and which obviously still deserves our complete attention, to the neglect of any caregiver responsibilities.

The inimitable Chicago-based Kranky label has just announced a vinyl reissue of Gravitational Pull vs. the Desire for an Aquatic Life , SotL’s second studio album, which was originally released in 1996. The reissue —due March 30 — will mark the album’s first of the vinyl variety, and that makes it more than 20 years since enthusiasts of that particular medium had the real opportunity to purchase.

The funny thing is, Wiltzie and McBride complained via their Stars of the Lid website about how the original vinyl pressing of 709 copies “showed up on our doorsptep w/distortion, giant pops and surface noise louder than the recording.” The plant then “graciously repressed the records,” but the fidelity was still off, and the duo turned to Kranky as their label savior, which released the album on CDs in 1997 instead of wafers.

Listen to the closing track “Be Little With Me” down below, and head over to Kranky’s Bandcamp to pre-order the vinyl — where they’ve also just uploaded all SotL releases for the first time, too. Be still my heart after all!





Gravitational Pull vs. the Desire for an Aquatic Life tracklisting:

A1. The Better Angels of Our Nation

A2. Cantus; In Memory of Warren Wiltzie

B1. Lactate’s Moment

B2. Be Little With Me