Album Review of Eluvium Copia (Temporary Residence) 4 Stars

Ambient music tends to conjure images of sleeping, winter and Brian Eno. It can be either beautiful or like watching paint dry, depending on the artist’s abilities and the sensibilities of the listener.

Movement is key in making an ambient album work the subtle sounds and shifts have to carry the music through moods in order to work. Eluvium’s new album, “Copia,” does just that.

With a sense of glory mixed with sadness akin to post-rock wonder Sigur R??s’ 2002 masterpiece “( ),” “Copia” is lush in soundscapes.

This is not, however, a mini-malist album by any means. Even tracks featuring gorgeously subdued piano (“Prelude for Time Feelers,” for instance) are backed up by huge expanses of electronic (though still natural sounding) strings and organs.

Matthew Cooper (the artist behind “Eluvium”) has experience with bands notable for long, elaborately layered instrumental works he appears on the newest Explosions in the Sky, very fitting for the music he creates.

Much like classical, ambient music is often thrown on as one passes out for the night or while doing Bio 002 homework. However, this shouldn’t detract from the innate qualities in albums like “Copia.” Pay attention: sheer beauty lies within.