Brian McBride, part of ambient duo Stars Of The Lid, has died. The news was confirmed by the band’s official Instagram page, which posted the note: “I am deeply saddened to to tell everyone that Brian McBride has passed away. I love the guy & he will be missed.” McBride was 53.

McBride and Adam Wiltzie formed Stars Of The Lid — a name meant to evoke “your own personal cinema between your eye and eyelid” — in Austin in 1993. They released a debut album, Music For Nitrous Oxide, with Kirk Laktas in 1995 via Sedimental. From 1996 through 2001, Stars Of The Lid released more albums, including Gravitational Pull Vs. The Desire For An Aquatic Life (1996), The Ballasted Orchestra (1997), Per Aspera Ad Astra (1998), Avec Laudenum (1999), and The Tired Sounds Of Stars Of the Lid (2001). Six years later, they released their final album And Their Refinement Of The Decline.

Outside of Stars Of The Lid, McBride released the 2005 solo album When The Detail Lost Its Freedom and 2010’s The Effective Disconnect, which also served as the soundtrack to the documentary Vanishing Of The Bees.

McBride also worked with Kenneth James Gibson under the name Bell Gardens — their debut EP Hangups Need Company was released in 2010, and their debut LP Full Sundown Assembly followed in 2012. Bell Gardens shared their second album Slow Dawns For Lost Conclusions in 2014 via Rocket Girl.