An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death is the second studio album by American ambient musician Matthew Cooper, performing under the moniker Eluvium. It was released on May 4, 2004, through the independent label Temporary Residence Limited.
Background
The album is a follow-up to Eluvium's debut studio album, Lambent Material (2003). It consists of seven solo piano pieces. Recording took place in September 2003 at The Northwest Academy in Portland, Oregon. The album was recorded in a single take and was completed in approximately two hours.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "An Accidental Memory" | 1:12 |
| 2. | "Genius and the Thieves" | 2:26 |
| 3. | "Perfect Neglect in a Field of Statues" | 5:25 |
| 4. | "Nepenthe" | 3:42 |
| 5. | "In a Sense" | 1:45 |
| 6. | "The Well-Meaning Professor" | 7:34 |
| 7. | "An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death" | 4:26 |
Total length: 26:30
Genres and style
The album is classified as ambient and piano music. It is a neoclassical work featuring intimate solo piano compositions, notably different in style from Eluvium's earlier ambient rock material.
Critical reception
Michael Cramer of Dusted Magazine commented that the music "suggests that the carefully considered beauty of a perfect melody may be no less 'human' or emotive than impassioned improvisational wailing." Rob Theakston of AllMusic described it as "equally beautiful and accessible." Scott Reid of Cokemachineglow noted that the pieces are "uniformly gorgeous and relaxing" but remarked on the repetition and the sole use of piano as potentially monotonous.
Personnel
- Matthew Cooper – solo piano
- Nathan Stanton – recording
- Denis Blackham – mastering
- Jeremy deVine – design, layout
- Jeannie Lynn Paske – artwork
- Douglas Coupland – liner notes ("Life After God")
