Stratosphere (Duster album)

Stratosphere is the debut studio album by the American rock band Duster, released on February 24, 1998, by Up Records. Written and recorded primarily by founding members Clay Parton and Canaan Dove Amber, the album was produced at Low Space Orbit, the band's home studio using analog equipment and a minimalist, lo-fi approach. Blending elements of space rock, slowcore, indie rock, and shoegaze, Stratosphere is characterized by its subdued vocals, sparse arrangements, and atmospheric textures. Though it initially received little mainstream attention, the album later garnered recognition for its distinctive sound and emotive restraint, and has since been considered an influential work in the lo-fi and slowcore genres.

Despite its initial obscurity, Stratosphere developed a cult following in the years after its release, largely through online music communities and collector platforms such as Discogs, Reddit, and Rate Your Music. Its scarcity in physical formats and the band's elusive image contributed to a growing mystique, which was amplified by consistently positive retrospective evaluations. The album's increasing demand led to a major reissue campaign by archival label Numero Group in 2019, alongside Duster's return from a nearly two-decade hiatus.