Colin Stetson

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 also played with the groups Boostamonte and the People's Bizarre.

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 Colin Stetson at Sled Island Music and Arts Festival, Calgary, 2013. 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. 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.

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

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

Documentary film

Television The Alchemist (No. 101)NBCperformer: " Warm Shadow" - uncredited2017Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams

Video game