A I A: Alien Observer
A I A: Alien Observer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 11, 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:07 | |||
Label | Yellow Electric | |||
Producer | Liz Harris | |||
Grouper chronology | ||||
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Singles from A I A: Alien Observer | ||||
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A I A: Alien Observer is the seventh studio album by American musician Liz Harris under the stage name Grouper. It is the second of her two-part album series A I A, released on April 11, 2011, on Yellow Electric. The track "Alien Observer" was issued on April 3, prior to the album's release.[1]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Pitchfork | 8.1/10[2] |
A I A: Alien Observer, along with A I A: Dream Loss, received an honorable mention on Pitchfork's list of the best albums of 2011.[3] In 2016, Pitchfork ranked Alien Observer at number 21 on its list of the 50 best ambient albums of all time. Staff writer Kevin Lozano wrote: "Liz Harris’ voice has the ability to leave you dumbstruck, speechless, just plain wrecked. It’s so beautiful, it’s almost mythic. Her hums, the barely audible whispers of words, the repetitions of phrases—they are often phantom presences, conjuring spooky action at a distance. [...] Harris stretches her voice into a ghostly chorus. Alien Observer feels material and visceral, but it retains her sense of mystery and emotional resonance."[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Liz Harris.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Moon Is Sharp" | 6:49 |
2. | "Alien Observer" | 3:57 |
3. | "Vapor Trails" | 9:05 |
4. | "She Loves Me That Way" | 8:34 |
5. | "Mary, On the Wall - Second Heart Tone" | 6:08 |
6. | "Come Softly - for Daniel D." | 4:34 |
Total length: | 39:07 |
References
- ^ Powell, Mike. "Tracks: "Alien Observer" - Grouper". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ Richardson, Mark (April 18, 2011). "Grouper: A I A : Alien Observer / A I A : Dream Loss". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ "Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention". Pitchfork. December 14, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ "The 50 Best Ambient Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. September 26, 2016. p. 3. Retrieved April 24, 2018.