Angel Tears in Sunlight is the final studio album by American composer Pauline Anna Strom. It was released posthumously on February 19, 2021, through RVNG Intl. It received universal acclaim from critics.
Background Pauline Anna Strom was an American composer. She grew up in Louisiana and Kentucky before moving to the Bay Area. She released her debut studio album, Trans-Millenia Consort, in 1982, and continued to release music throughout the 1980s, often under the pseudonym Trans-Millenia Consort. She then stopped releasing music and lived in the San Francisco apartment alongside her pet iguanas Little Solstice and Ms Huff. Trans-Millenia Music, an anthology of her compositions from the 1980s, was released in 2017 through RVNG Intl.
Angel Tears in Sunlight is Strom's first studio album in over 30 years. It was created in the San Francisco apartment where she lived. She died on December 13, 2020, at the age of 74. The album was released posthumously on February 19, 2021, through RVNG Intl. A portion of proceeds from the sales of the album goes to the International Iguana Foundation. Music videos were released for the tracks "Marking Time" and "Equatorial Sunrise".
Critical reception
Kez Cochrane of Crack wrote, "A transcendent parting gift to the universe, Angel Tears in Sunlight is a timeless addition to Strom's canonical legacy." Andy Beta of Pitchfork stated, "The lightest and most playful of Strom's recorded work, it signals new vistas ahead, ones that sadly will now have to be explored by others." Robert Davidson of Loud and Quiet called the album "a mesmerising final tour of a fascinating mind and a fitting farewell to truly a one-of-a-kind visionary."
Accolades + Year-end lists for Angel Tears in Sunlight Publication List Rank AllMusic Favorite Electronic Albums Beats Per Minute BPM's Favorite Ambient of 2021 Crack The Top 50 Albums of 2021 NPR The Best Electronic Music of 2021 The Vinyl Factory Our 50 Favourite Albums of 2021 The Wire Releases of the Year (2021 Rewind)
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from liner notes.
Pauline Anna Strom – recording John Also Bennett – editing Jeremy Harris – mixing Jessica Thompson – mastering Aubrey Trinnaman – photography (Pauline's hand) John Jennings – photography (Little Solstice and Ms Huff) Will Work for Good – design
References
Further reading
External links