Monument Builders

Monument Builders
Studio album by
Loscil
ReleasedNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)
Genre
Length37:40
LabelKranky
ProducerScott Morgan
Loscil chronology
Sea Island
(2014) 		Monument Builders
(2016) 		Equivalents
(2019)

Monument Builders is a studio album by Canadian composer and record producer Scott Morgan under the pseudonym Loscil.[3] It was released on November 11, 2016, through Kranky.[4] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[5]

Background

Monument Builders is Loscil's first studio album since Sea Island (2014).[6] He drew inspiration from rewatching a VHS copy of the documentary film Koyaanisqatsi (1982), as well as its score composed by Philip Glass.[7] He was also inspired by the works of photographer Edward Burtynsky and the writings of philosopher John Gray.[7] A music video was released for the track "Drained Lake".[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[1]
Exclaim!8/10[9]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[10]
Pitchfork7.4/10[11]
PopMatters7/10[12]
The SkinnyStarStarStarStar[13]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Monument Builders received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 from 11 critic scores.[5]

Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "Monument Builders is a powerful reminder that ambient music is a fine conduit for emotionally and politically charged messages, and it's one of Morgan's finest works yet."[1] Daniel Sylvester of Exclaim! commented that the album "finds Loscil at his most focused, political and meticulous, a bleak but fulfilling listen whether you're aware of the album's brainy themes or not."[9] Brian Burlage of Pitchfork described it as "a highly visual album, a mosaic of images depicting construction, erasure, devastation, redemption, and transformation."[11]

Finbarr Bermingham of The Skinny stated, "This is a breathless and dense record, built on layers of crackle, fuzz and dystopian fugue."[13] He added, "What really capture the imagination, though, are the fleeting, stark melodies Loscil introduces on almost every track."[13] Ian King of The Line of Best Fit stated, "Leaving listeners in the 'Weeds' surrounded by a swirl of haunting whispers, Monument Builders doesn't offer a happy ending, but nor is it devoid of hope."[10] He added, "Perhaps Loscil's most confrontational record, it processes the darkness in order to expunge it."[10]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Monument Builders
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic Favorite Electronic Albums
—
[2]
Somewherecold Top 10 Albums of the Year
4
[14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Scott Morgan.

Monument Builders track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Drained Lake"6:46
2."Red Tide"5:25
3."Monument Builders"4:43
4."Straw Dogs"4:57
5."Deceiver"4:41
6."Anthropocene"4:39
7."Weeds"6:29
Total length:37:40

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[15]

  • Scott Morgan – production
  • Nick Anderson – French horn (2–4, 6)
  • Erik Nielsen – French horn recording (2–4, 6)
  • Joshua Stevenson – synthesis (2, 6)
  • Ashley Pitre – vocal sample (7)
  • Rafael Anton – mastering
  • Bob Weston – lathe cut

References

  1. ^ a b c Phares, Heather. "Monument Builders - Loscil". AllMusic. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Favorite Electronic Albums | AllMusic 2016 in Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Phares, Heather. "Loscil". AllMusic. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  4. ^ Mrozek, Patryk (September 8, 2016). "Loscil announces new album Monument Builders on Kranky". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Monument Builders by Loscil". Metacritic. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  6. ^ Adams, Gregory (September 8, 2016). "Loscil Announces Philip Glass-Inspired 'Monument Builders' Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Sylvester, Daniel (November 16, 2016). "Loscil Explores End Times on 'Monument Builders'". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  8. ^ Thiessen, Brock (October 11, 2016). "Loscil "Drained Lake" (video)". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Sylvester, Daniel (November 9, 2016). "Loscil". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c King, Ian (November 2, 2016). "Loscil's Monument Builders processes darkness in order to expunge it". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Burlage, Brian (November 14, 2016). "Loscil: Monument Builders". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  12. ^ Duricy, Brian (November 30, 2016). "Loscil: Monument Builders". PopMatters. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c Bermingham, Finbarr (November 3, 2016). "Loscil – Monument Builders". The Skinny. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  14. ^ "Somewherecold Awards 2016". Somewherecold. December 9, 2016. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  15. ^ Loscil (2016). Monument Builders (CD booklet). Kranky.

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