Forest of Sound (www.myspace.com/forestofsound) presents:

Sunday: 25/05/2008 @ The Holy Trinity Church, Leeds. Doors 8pm.

£10 adv / £12 on the door. Tickets available at We Got Tickets (www.wegottickets.co.uk) and Jumbo Records (www.jumborecords.co.uk)

Stars of the Lid (www.brainwashed.com/sotl)
Easily one of the most important bands of our times (and we don't say that lightly), Stars of the Lid are the highpoint of the ambient genre. Their influence on the music that really matters over the last decade has been huge, and we're incredibly honoured to be hosting them again in Leeds. This gig will be very very different, and very very special.

Stars of the Lid have excelled at designing subtle, minimalist epics which sound like they're being played on a single multifaceted organic instrument. They offer subtle, endlessly evolving stories about the dynamics of sonic texture, at the same time seeming to offer a picture of pure, unfettered consciousness. Their music are largely beatless soundscapes composed of droning, effects-treated guitars along with piano, strings, and horns; volume swells and feedback fill the gap of rhythmic instruments, providing dynamic movement within the songs. A wise man once described SOTL as "divine classical drones without the tedious intrusion of drums, or vocals."

"...the kind of music that makes consciousness seem like an annoying state...most ambient outfits demand a close, meditative listening, but few deliver with as many sonic rewards as Stars of the Lid." - Pitchfork Media

"...original and evocative music, smart and technical without sacrificing atmosphere and feeling. Stars of the Lid once described their name as referring to the private images generated between the eye and closed eyelid... they have provided these images with suitable soundtrack." - http://www.popmatters.com

The Declining Winter (www.myspace.com/thedecliningwinter)
The Declining Winter is the musical project of Richard Vincent Adams of Leeds UK, the co-founder of the continuing group Hood and a full time stricken office worker. What does it sound like? Richard says "cassette tapes spilling out of the glovebox of a 1970's Datsun Sunny somewhere in the north of England, captured on Super 8 film". He's not far off. Live he is joined by a few more people to bring the beautiful pastoral feel to life. Wonderful stuff.

"...reminicent of Hood it may well be, but its also an intriguing leap further into electronic pulses, endless loops and jarring discordance. Where Hood are majestic, The Declining Winter is edgy, disturbing and anxious. And what is Adams anxious about? Well amongst other things the environment. If you purchase this record itr comes wrapped in recycled materials - old unsold records, unwanted packaging and unused photos. Thats what I call music with a conscience." - Sandman