Steven Wilson, an icon of British progressive rock, returns with his ninth album, Requiem For A Village, marking a departure from the space-themed journey of his previous album, The Overview. Today, with Requiem For A Village, Steven Wilson presents a concept album deeply rooted in folklore and sociology, set in this imaginary British village. Steven Wilson tackles themes such as isolation, religion, the rejection of modernity, and the ghosts of the past.

To let us fully immerse ourselves in this album, Steven Wilson offers a Dolby Atmos version, which is highly anticipated, as Steven Wilson is considered a leader in mixing in this format.But there are also digital stereo and vinyl versions available on CD, Blu-ray, vinyl, and streaming platforms. Does the mix of this new album live up to our expectations?

That’s what we ll find out in this review.

For this review, you will find 6 versions tested:

• Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026
• Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026
• Ed 3: Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026
• Ed 4: Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026
• Ed 5: Bluray Stereo – 2026
• Ed 6: Green Vinyl record – 2026

Below you will find the description of the different editions, as well as the measurements of each edition in the following chapters.

The synthesis of the review are available here

The album is composed of 12 tracks:

1. Swirl in a Lark’s Eye
2. Requiem for a Village
3. The Same River Twice
4. Now Departing
5. Hiraeth
6. On Chapel Slope
7. Murmuration
8. Cursus Fingerprint
9. A Basket of Bees
10. Great Green Map
11. Wheel
12. The Old God is Buried

Summary, scoring and Samples

Ed 1: Tidal MAX – 2026

Presentation

This is the Tidal MAX vesion presented in lossless 24 bits 96 kHz format. This is also available on Amazon Music an Apple Music.

Waveform and Spectrum: DR12

The waveform of the Tidal MAX – 2026 version shows a very good dynamic range confirmed with DR12.

The spectrogram shows that the signal rises to 48 kHz with no signal above this frequency due to the 96 kHz sampling frequency.

The graph below compares the spectrum of the Bluray Stereo – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (blue curve).The curves of the two spectra overlap perfectly, confirming that the same master was used.

Synthesis and listening

The sound quality is similar to that of the stereo version available on Blu-ray, with good dynamic range and the clarity of high-resolution audio.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●oo (3.5)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
• Restitution: ●●●●o (4)

Ed 2: Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026

Presentation

This is the Tidal Dolby Atmos presented in Dolby Digital Plus at 768 kbits/s. This is also available on Amazon Music an Apple Music.

Below the spatialization for all tracks. Click on the images to zoom in.

You can download the 3D spatialization representation file below and open it with the application available on this page.

Waveform and Spectrum: DR14

The waveform of the Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026 shows a high range confirmed with DR14.

The spectrogram of the Tidal Dolby Atmos track in 9.1.6 is limited to 20kHz with no signal above . This limitation is due to Dolby Digital Plus encoding, which is a lossy encoder that limits bandwidth to optimize data size for a bit rate of 768 kbits/s. The LFE (bass channel) channel is filtered at 120Hz.

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026.
The spectrum of Dolby Atmos version decoded in 9.1.6 shows that all channels are used. The LFE channel is used with a cutoff frequency of 120 Hz (green arrow). The white arrow indicates the high-frequency limit at 20 kHz due to Dolby Digital Plus encoding. The yellow arrow indicates the high-frequency limit at 24 kHz due to encoding at the 48 kHz sampling frequency used.

Synthesis and listening

As always with Dolby Atmos, if the Blu-ray version is available with a Dolby Atmos TrueHD audio track, that is the version to choose. In fact, the streaming version, encoded in Dolby Digital Plus (a lossy format), cannot compete in terms of sound quality and spatialization with TrueHD (a lossless format), which has a bitrate 5 to 10 times higher.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●●o (4.5)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
• Spatialization SP: ●●●●●●●●oo (8.5)
• Spatialization SK: ●●●●●●●ooo (7)
• Restitution: ●●●●o (4.5)

Ed 3: Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026

Presentation

The audio track encoded in the lossless Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos format is being tested for this version, which is sourced from the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray includes Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos tracks, DTS-HD MA 5.1 24-bit/96 kHz, an the 24-bit/96 kHz PCM stereo mix (ref: 823375135851).

Below the spatialization for all tracks. Click on the images to zoom in.

You can download the 3D spatialization representation file below and open it with the application available on this page.

Waveform and Spectrum: DR14

The waveform of the Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026 shows a high range confirmed with DR14.

The spectrogram of the Atmos in 9.1.6 version of blu-ray shows that the signal goes down to 24 kHz and that there is no signal above this frequency , due to the 48 kHz sampling frequency used with Dolby Digital TrueHD encoding (lossless). The LFE channel is filtered at 120Hz.

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026.
The Dolby Atmos decoded in 9.1.6 is based on a sampling frequency of 48 kHz, limiting the bandwidth to 24 kHz (as indicated by the yellow arrow). The LFE channel is filtered down to 120 Hz (as indicated by the green arrow).

Synthesis and listening

Since Steven Wilson is a leading figure in Dolby Atmos mixing, we had high expectations for him in this regard when it came to mixing his new album. And it’s a complete success. The music and atmosphere of his new album take full advantage of this format to give the album even greater scope, blending different styles—such as on On Chapel Slope with its pastoral atmosphere where the music and sound effects swirl around us and the front-facing drums, including the top fronts, expand the soundstage; or A Basket of Bees which offers a more catchy and experimental sound with a masterfully executed 360-degree distribution of instruments and vocals, and Murmuration which highlights the vocal duet in this track with a rich bass presence and dynamic spatialization featuring numerous sound movements.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●●o (4.5)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●o (4)
• Spatialization SP: ●●●●●●●●oo (8.5)
• Spatialization SK: ●●●●●●●●oo (8)
• Restitution: ●●●●● (5)

Ed 4: Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026

Presentation

The audio track encoded in the lossless DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 format is being tested for this version, which is sourced from the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray includes Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos tracks, DTS-HD MA 5.1 24-bit/96 kHz, an the 24-bit/96 kHz PCM stereo mix (ref: 823375135851).

Below the spatialization for all tracks. Click on the images to zoom in.

Waveform and Spectrum: DR13

The waveform of the Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026 shows a high range confirmed with DR13.

The spectrogram shows that the signal up to 30 kHz with music signal above this frequency due to the 96 kHz sampling frequency. The LFE channel is filtered at 120Hz..

The graph below represents the spectrum of the Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026.
The 5.1 remix is comparable to the balance of the Dolby Atmos version, with a sampling frequency of 96 kHz, limiting the bandwidth to 48 kHz, but with a limitation at 30 kHz as indicated by the yellow arrow. The LFE channel is filtered down to 120 Hz (as indicated by the green arrow).

Synthesis and listening

For those with a 5.1 system, this is the version to choose, it offers the finesse of high resolution with a 96 kHz sampling rate, which can result in a smoother sound than the Atmos version, though this depends mainly on the internal processing of the DACs used. It delivers a very good immersive experience, though it falls well short of the Dolby Atmos version, while making full use of the 5 channels and the LFE.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●●o (4)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
• Spatialization SP: ●●●●oooooo (4)
• Spatialization SK: ●●●●●●oooo (6)
• Restitution: ●●●●o (4)

Ed 5: Bluray Stereo – 2026

Presentation

The audio track encoded in PCM stereo format is being tested for this version, which is sourced from the Blu-ray. The Blu-ray includes Dolby Digital TrueHD Atmos tracks, DTS-HD MA 5.1 24-bit/96 kHz, an the 24-bit/96 kHz PCM stereo mix (ref: 823375135851).

Waveform and Spectrum: DR12

The waveform of the Bluray Stereo – 2026 version shows a very good dynamic range confirmed with DR12.

The spectrogram shows that the signal rises to 48 kHzwith no signal above this frequencydue to the 96 kHz sampling frequency.

The graph below compares the spectrum of the Bluray Stereo – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Tidal MAX – 2026 (blue curve).The curves of the two spectra overlap perfectly, confirming that the same master was used.

Synthesis and listening

Steven Wilson offers us a stereo version that retains its dynamics, thankfully resisting the loudness war s drive to sound loud , and delivers a very nuanced reproduction (thanks to the 96 kHz format) with a beautiful soundstage. However, to fully enjoy this album, you ll want to check out the immersive Dolby Atmos version.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●oo (3.5)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
• Restitution: ●●●●o (4)

Ed 6: Green Vinyl record – 2026

Presentation

This is the green double vinyl LP at 33.33 rpm with a gatefold sleeve (ref: 823375135975)

Waveform and Spectrum: DR13

The waveform of the Green VInyl record – 2026 shows a high range confirmed with DR13.

The spectrogram shows that the signal rises above 25 kHz with signal above this frequency containing musical information and distortion due to the vinyl record s operating principle.

The graph below compares the spectrum of the Green VInyl record – 2026 (white curve) with the spectrum of the Bluray Stereo – 2026 (blue curve).The curves align almost perfectly across the entire spectrum up to 30 kHz, demonstrating excellent frequency response. However, above 10 kHz (yellow zone), there is a slight attenuation in the vinyl record s response that can reach up to 2 dB.

Synthesis and listening

The pressing quality is excellent, with well-controlled surface noise on this dynamically rich album, which features quiet passages that push the limits of what s possible on a vinyl record. It offers the same sonic balance as the stereo version, with a slightly softer sound in the upper frequencies, while still delivering a beautiful soundstage and excellent dynamics.

Rating:

• Dynamic: ●●●●o (4)
• Surface noise: ●●●●o (4)
• Bandwidth: ●●●●● (5)
• Restitution: ●●●●o (4)

Steven Wilson presents his new album as a story and a soundscape that pairs perfectly with the immersive experience of Dolby Atmos, which offers the best way to listen to this album and fully appreciate the atmospheres and immersive qualities of the mix, which is particularly well-suited to this style of music and serves as a benchmark for what can be achieved in a Dolby Atmos mix. The 5.1 and stereo versions also offer excellent sound quality, though they don’t provide the total immersion in the 3D musical universe of Atmos; however, they maintain great dynamics even in the stereo version, which is important to note, despite the ongoing loudness war.

Dynamic Range measurements and spectra are shown below.

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Measurements

Dynamic Range comparaisons

Dynamic represents the ability to reproduce a wide range of sounds from the softest to the loudest. The target is to compare the dynamics of the music and not of the media (CD, digital files or vinyl).

The waveforms below represent 3 versions tested with the same integrated loudness level of -22 LUFS.

For our 6 editions reviewed have obtained the following Dynamic Range (DR) :

	Tidal MAX – 2026	Tidal Dolby Atmos – 2026	Bluray Dolby ATMOS TrueHD – 2026	Bluray DTS HDMA 5.1 – 2026	Bluray Stereo – 2026	Green Vinyl record – 2026
Global	DR12	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR12	DR13
Min	DR10	DR8	DR8	DR11	DR10	DR11
Max	DR14	DR17	DR17	DR14	DR15	DR14
Swirl in a Lark’s Eye	DR13	DR17	DR17	DR14	DR13	DR14
Requiem for a Village	DR10	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR10	DR12
The Same River Twice	DR11	DR13	DR13	DR11	DR11	DR11
Now Departing	DR11	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR11	DR13
Hiraeth	DR13	DR08	DR08	DR13	DR13	DR13
On Chapel Slope	DR12	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR12	DR13
Murmuration	DR14	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR14	DR14
Cursus Fingerprint	DR13	DR15	DR15	DR14	DR13	DR14
A Basket of Bees	DR11	DR15	DR15	DR13	DR11	DR13
Great Green Map	DR14	DR14	DR14	DR13	DR13	DR14
Wheel	DR12	DR15	DR15	DR14	DR12	DR14
The Old God is Buried	DR11	DR12	DR11	DR11	DR11	DR11

As a reminder, the scale goes from 0 to more 20, but the dynamics are considered good from 12, quite good between 10 and 11, and deteriorate below 10.

Detail of the ratings :

• Dynamic :
  1. Significant dynamic compression, DR less than 7
  2. Compression of the present dynamics, DR between 7 and 9.
  3. Correct piece DR >=10
  4. No dynamic compression (DR >12), dynamic rendering
  5. No dynamic compression, high DR and very dynamic sound rendering
• Spectrum :
  1. Spectrum cut and less than 15 khz
  2. Spectrum cut at 15 khz
  3. Spectrum not conforming to the original and cut (not HD) or original but limited bandwidth (but less than 20 kHz)
  4. Spectrum conforming to the original (but not HD)
  5. Spectrum conforming to the original with HD resolution (higher than 24kHz)
• Surface noise (only for vinyl):
  1. Continuous audible noise
  2. Audible surface noise except on passages with a high level of noise
  3. Reduced surface noise, barely audible on low level crossings
  4. Low surface noise, very good quality
  5. Very low surface noise, no defects, almost inaudible on the quiet passages (exceptional disc)
• Spatialization :
  • Between 0 and 5 for 5.1 or 7.1 channels configuration
  • Between 0 and 10 for Atmos configuration (7.1.4)
  • For more information on spatialization, you can read the article describing this parameter here.
• Restitution :
  1. Low quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
  2. Average quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments.
  3. Quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Good record.
  4. High quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Very high level disc.
  5. Maximum quality of the restitution mixing dynamics, clarity, separation of voices and instruments. Exceptional disc.

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