Angel Tears in Sunlight

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Angel Tears in Sunlight
Studio album by
Pauline Anna Strom
ReleasedFebruary 19, 2021 (2021-02-19)
Genre
Length45:45
LabelRVNG Intl.
Pauline Anna Strom chronology
Trans-Millenia Music
(2017)		 Angel Tears in Sunlight
(2021)		 Echoes, Spaces, Lines
(2023)

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.[3]

Background

Pauline Anna Strom was an American composer.[4] She grew up in Louisiana and Kentucky before moving to the Bay Area.[5] 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.[6] She then stopped releasing music and lived in the San Francisco apartment alongside her pet iguanas Little Solstice and Ms Huff.[7] Trans-Millenia Music, an anthology of her compositions from the 1980s, was released in 2017 through RVNG Intl.[8]

Angel Tears in Sunlight is Strom's first studio album in over 30 years.[8] It was created in the San Francisco apartment where she lived.[9] She died on December 13, 2020, at the age of 74.[10] The album was released posthumously on February 19, 2021, through RVNG Intl.[11] A portion of proceeds from the sales of the album goes to the International Iguana Foundation.[8] Music videos were released for the tracks "Marking Time"[12] and "Equatorial Sunrise".[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic87/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[14]
Beats Per Minute75%[15]
Crack9/10[16]
The GuardianStarStarStarStar[17]
Loud and Quiet8/10[18]
MojoStarStarStarStar[19]
MusicOMHStarStarStarStarHalf star[20]
Pitchfork7.9/10[21]
Spectrum Culture68%[22]
Uncut9/10[23]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Angel Tears in Sunlight received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.[3]

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."[16] 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."[21] 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."[18]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Angel Tears in Sunlight
Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic Favorite Electronic Albums
—
Beats Per Minute BPM's Favorite Ambient of 2021
—
Crack The Top 50 Albums of 2021
36
NPR The Best Electronic Music of 2021
—
The Vinyl Factory Our 50 Favourite Albums of 2021
35
The Wire Releases of the Year (2021 Rewind)
37

Track listing

All tracks are written by Pauline Anna Strom.

Angel Tears in Sunlight track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Tropical Convergence"2:41
2."Marking Time"4:30
3."I Still Hope"2:28
4."Temple Gardens at Midnight"4:25
5."The Pulsation"5:47
6."The Eighteen Beautiful Memories"4:03
7."Equatorial Sunrise"6:10
8."Small Reptiles on the Forest Floor"5:36
9."Tropical Rainforest"5:45
10."Words in Motion" (bonus track)4:08
Total length:45:45

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[28]

  • 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

  1. "Favorite Electronic Albums | AllMusic 2021 in Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  2. "BPM's Favorite Ambient of 2021". Beats Per Minute. January 10, 2022. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  3. "Angel Tears in Sunlight by Pauline Anna Strom". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  4. Simpson, Paul. "Pauline Anna Strom". AllMusic. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  5. Skinner, Tom (December 15, 2020). "Electronic composer Pauline Anna Strom has died". NME. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  6. Strauss, Matthew (December 14, 2020). "Pauline Anna Strom Dead at 74". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 24, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  7. Eede, Christian (December 14, 2020). "Pauline Anna Strom Dies, Aged 74". The Quietus. Archived from the original on September 10, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  8. Bloom, Madison (November 11, 2020). "Pauline Anna Strom Shares First New Song in Over 30 Years: Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  9. Eede, Christian (November 11, 2020). "Pauline Anna Strom To Release First Album In 30 Years". The Quietus. Archived from the original on August 11, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  10. Genzlinger, Neil (January 28, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom, Composer of Enduring Electronic Sounds, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  11. Murray, Eoin (February 18, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom: matters of time". DJ Mag. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  12. Helman, Peter (November 11, 2020). "Hear Pauline Anna Strom's "Marking Time" From First New Album In 30 Years". Stereogum. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  13. Hussey, Allison (February 5, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom's "Equatorial Sunrise" Gets New Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  14. Simpson, Paul. "Angel Tears in Sunlight - Pauline Anna Strom". AllMusic. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  15. Reis, Ethan (February 24, 2021). "Album Review: Pauline Anna Strom – Angel Tears In Sunlight". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  16. Cochrane, Kez (February 19, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom – 'Angel Tears in Sunlight' review". Crack. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  17. Lewis, John (February 12, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears in Sunlight review – synth iconoclast's glorious final album". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  18. Davidson, Robert (February 15, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom - Angel Tears In Sunlight - Review". Loud and Quiet. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  19. Worthy, Stephen (March 2021). "Mojo Filter". Mojo. No. 328. p. 89.
  20. Cotsell, Matt (February 17, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom – Angel Tears In Sunlight". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  21. Beta, Andy (February 19, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears in Sunlight". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  22. Pinfold, Will (February 22, 2021). "Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears in Sunlight". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  23. Martin, Piers (March 2021). "New Albums". Uncut. No. 286. p. 37.
  24. "The Top 50 Albums of 2021". Crack. December 6, 2021. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  25. "The Best Electronic Music of 2021". NPR. December 11, 2021. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  26. "Our 50 favourite albums of 2021". The Vinyl Factory. December 9, 2021. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
  27. "Releases of the Year". The Wire. No. 455. January 2022. pp. 30–35.
  28. "Angel Tears in Sunlight | Pauline Anna Strom". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2026.

Further reading