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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 was released on April 11, 2011, through Harris' record label, Yellow Electric. It is the second part of her two-part album series A I A, with the first being its companion album A I A: Dream Loss, simultaneously released on the same day. The album consists of songs recorded over a few years, written after Harris had gone through a breakup and quit her full-time job. A I A: Alien Observer is a work of ambient compositions which marks a total shift from the style of her breakthrough album Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (2008), making it sound reminiscent of her previous albums, with incorporations of drone music and tape manipulations. The album's title track "Alien Observer" was released as its lead single on March 29, prior to the album's release, with a music video being released on April 18. The album was met with positive reviews from music critics, with some complimenting Harris' experimentation throughout, additionally calling it more accessible than its companion album, A I A: Dream Loss.
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Reviews
I really enjoyed this but it's not really something you essentially need to hear. The other ambient albums already cover this genre sufficiently. My personal rating: 4/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.
A I A: Alien Observer is the seventh album by ambient and electronic artist Grouper (Liz Harris). It's mainly instrumental and sound "airy and melodic" (Spectrum Culture). One way or another it was a bit too ambient for me. The sounds and atmospheres were just not that interesting.
Wow an ethereal, dreamy way to spend 39 minutes. Terrific!
Really nice reading album. Ambient music, but somehow not something I have heard before.
Woah man we chillin
Ambient. Ni fu ni fa.
Not bad
Torn on this one, when the melody hits it’s absolutely euphoric, yet the interim feels like it needs something more. Any rhythm tracks would spoil the ethereal wonder, though, such a unique and beautifully odd LP.
Replacement-level ambient
Yeah that is sure some ambient. I think I don't get this genre, particularly. Or else there's actually no there, there? One of the critics cited in the Wikipedia article: "an attempt to look at one's own feelings from a distance". Um, sure it is. I mean maybe it actually is, what do I know? I don't find this despicable or anything but I also don't know how to engage with it.
Calm - literally
Ambient. Ni fu ni fa.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Alien observer
This is tough to actively listen too. It played in my car, and got me to relax while driving. Very low-fi athmospheric music. It did lack a bit of buildup, but overall this was okay
It's a perfectly serviceable ambient album. The musicianship is clear and it's well put together. However, there's nothing that would really reel you back for a second listen. It's just a one and done this time.
Beautifully chilled and atmospheric, but ultimately just a bit too chilled for me. I gave it a second listen with headphones and appreciated the hazy, dreamlike sound more, but I still found myself drifting off rather than getting drawn in. I can see why people love it, but it’s probably better suited to putting me to sleep than keeping me awake.
It started and I thought it might be quite a pleasant and chill listen, but then it continued and it was neither of these things
Extremely boring. I hate it.