Colin Stetson (born March 3, 1975) is an American saxophonist, multireedist, and composer based in Montreal. He is best known as a regular collaborator of the indie rock acts Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Bell Orchestre, and Ex Eye. In addition to saxophone, he plays clarinet, bass clarinet, French horn, flute, and cornet.
Stetson has released various solo releases, including his debut and subsequent albums New History Warfare Vol. 1, 2, & 3, a collaborative studio album with violinist Sarah Neufeld entitled Never Were the Way She Was (2015), Sorrow: A Reimagining of Henryk Górecki's 3rd Symphony (2016), and All This I Do for Glory (2017). Since 2013, Stetson has contributed the scores to several films and television series.
Background Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently based in Montreal, Quebec, Stetson started taking lessons at age 15. He attended the University of Michigan School of Music with a full scholarship, where he joined Transmission Trio. He also played with the groups Boostamonte and the People's Bizarre.
Stetson has performed and recorded with dozens of artists, including Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, TV on the Radio, Feist, and Bon Iver.
His extended saxophone techniques cover advanced circular breathing, multiphonics, altissimo, microtones, (reed) vocalizations, percussive valve-work, clicking keys, and growling. The overall effect led The New Yorker film critic Anthony Lane to describe Stetson's score to the film Hereditary as having been seemingly "scored for violins, percussion, a humpback whale, and bats."
Solo career
His first solo album, New History Warfare Vol. 1, was released in 2008. His second and third albums, New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges and New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, were released by Constellation Records in early 2011. On June 16, the album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, and shortlisted on July 6.
Stetson was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in December 2011 in Minehead, England. The final album of the trilogy, New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, was released by Constellation Records in April 2013, and was a longlist nominee for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize."Polaris Music Prize Unveils 2013 Long List" . Exclaim!, June 13, 2012.
April 2015 saw the release of Never Were the Way She Was, the first recording of Stetson's duo project with his then wife and long-time collaborator Sarah Neufeld. Stetson's album All This I Do for Glory was released on April 28, 2017. In 2022 he released the drone-inspired album Chimæra I. It was followed a year later by the minimalist When We Were That What Wept for the Sea. In September 2024, Stetson released The Love It Took to Leave You.
Discography
Solo albums/As leader Tiny Beast (2003) with Transmission Trio Slow Descent (2003) New History Warfare Vol. 1 (2007) The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man 7" (2010) New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges (2011) Those Who Didn't Run EP (2011) New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light (2013) Sorrow: A Reimagining of Gorecki's 3rd Symphony (2016) All This I Do for Glory (2017) Chimæra I (2022) When We Were That What Wept for the Sea (2023) The Love It Took to Leave You (2024)
Soundtrack albums
Blue Caprice (2013) La Peur (2015) Outlaws and Angels (2016) Hereditary (2018) The First (2018) Color Out of Space (2020) Barkskins (2020) Deliver Us (2020) The War Show (2020) Mayday (2021) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) Among the Stars (2022) The Menu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2022) Uzumaki (2024) Martha (2024)
Collaborations with other artists Gringo Blaster (2002) with Michael Kowalski Stones (2012) with Mats Gustafsson Never Were the Way She Was (2015) with Sarah Neufeld Ex Eye (2017) with Ex Eye (Greg Fox, Shahzad Ismaily, Toby Summerfield) Radiate (2015) with The Chemical Brothers Confessions Pt II (2016) with BadBadNotGood The Long Road North (2022) with Cult of Luna Void Patrol (2022) with Void Patrol (Elliott Sharp, Billy Martin, Payton MacDonald) No Highs (2023) with Tim Hecker Carry Them with Us (2023) with Brìghde Chaimbeul Nethering (2026) with Greg Fox and Trevor Dunn All the light in the world (2026) with Brìghde Chaimbeul
As sideman
With Tom Waits Blood Money (2002) Alice (2002) Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006)
With Arcade Fire Neon Bible (2007) The Suburbs (2010) Reflektor (2013)
With TV on the Radio Dear Science (2008)
With Jolie Holland The Living and the Dead (2008)
With Feist Metals (2011)
With Esmerine La Lechuza (2011)
With Timber Timbre Creep on Creepin' On (2011) Hot Dreams (2014)
With Bon Iver Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011) 22, A Million (2016)
With David Gilmour Rattle That Lock (2015)
With BadBadNotGood IV (2016)
With Animal Collective Painting With (2016)
With Sarah Neufeld The Ridge (2016)
With Marcus Hamblett Detritus (2019)
Filmography
Film YearTitleDirectorNotes2007GreyhoundsKelilyn Mohr McKeeverShort film2012Rust and BoneJacques AudiardComposer, Musician: "All the Days I've Missed You (Ilaij I)"201312 Years a Slave Steve McQueenComposer, Musician: "Awake on Foreign Shores"Blue CapriceAlexandre Moors2014The RoverDavid MichôdComposer, Musician: "Time is Advancing with Fitful Irregularity", "As a Bird or Branch", "Groundswell", "Awake on Foreign Shores"2015La Peur Damien OdulVi ska bli rappareDavid DanialComposer, Musician: "Stand, Walk"Denis the PirateSam MesserComposed with Sarah NeufeldIt's About TimeIvo BriedisShort filmCloset Monster Stephen DunnComposer, Musician: "The Stars In His Head (Dark Lights Remix)"2016LavenderEd Gass-DonnellyComposed with Sarah NeufeldOutlaws and AngelsJ. T. MollnerThe War ShowAndreas Møl Dalsgaard & Obaidah Zytoon2018Age OutA.J. EdwardsHereditaryAri AsterWeRene Eller2019Color Out of Space Richard Stanley2021MaydayKaren Cinorre2022Texas Chainsaw MassacreDavid Blue GarciaThe MenuMark Mylod2024Hold Your BreathKarrie Crouse and Will JoinesComposer2026MaydayJonathan Goldstein and John Francis DaleyComposer
Documentary film YearTitleDirectorNotes2012Shut Up and Play the HitsWill Lovelace and Dylan Southern cast as himself2014A City Is an Island Timothy George Kellycast as himself2015An American, Portrait of Raymond Luc LevasseurPierre MarierNew York Never SleepsAlfonso NoguerolesScrumPoppy Stockell2016The Devil's HornLarry Weinsteincast as himselfUncle HowardAaron BrooknerComposer, Musician: "In Mirrors"2017DestierrosHubert Caron-GuayPartial score 2024 Martha R. J. Cutler
Television YearTitleNetworkNotes2014The Blacklist The Alchemist (No. 101)NBCperformer: " Warm Shadow" - uncredited2017Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Human IsChannel 4performer: "The rest of us" - uncredited2018The First Hulu, Channel 42020BarkskinsNational Geographic2021Among the StarsDisney PlusComposer for all 6 Episodes2023Hogan's CastleNetflixComposer for all 11 Episodes2024UzumakiAdult Swim's Toonami2026Something Very Bad Is Going to HappenNetflix
Video game YearTitleStudio2018Red Dead Redemption 2Rockstar Games
References
External links
Colin Stetson website Embedded In The Skull: Colin Stetson's Favourite LPs - The Quietus (March 2017)