Albums
Chimæra I
2022
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 2022
By Matthew Blackwell
Reviewed November 17, 2022
In two long, bassy, zoned-out compositions, the genre-defying saxophonist strains against the formal restrictions of drone music.
In his career as a soloist, Colin Stetson hasn’t redefined the saxophone so much as he has reinvented the saxophonist. His circular breathing technique, aided by a regimen of yoga and cardio, allows him to unleash seemingly endless waves of sound. By combining this technique with a series of contact mics placed around his instrument and on his throat, he has turned himself into a one-man band who, through extreme exertion and stamina, can simultaneously produce clacking percussion, thundering bass, and plangent melody. On a series of career-defining albums, Stetson performed the rare feat of establishing himself firmly outside of genre categories. Then, somewhat miraculously, he was able to translate his unique sound to the big screen. For his next trick, Stetson has confined himself within the formally restrictive boundaries of drone.