Colin Self Sounds A “Universal Call To Action” On Divine Debut Album, Elation

NYC-based composer and choreographer Colin Self recently lent his monastic vocals to Holly Herndon's mighty Platform album, collaborating with her on "Unequal." For a piece about Platform's radical ideas, Self told me that "the voice and language are some of the most ancient forms of magic," and now with Elation, his debut solo album, he brings that idea to burning, yearning life. Just take a listen to "Telling," one of the album's lead tracks that's been out for a bit, to see what I mean: the human voice shape-shifts from bird-like call to angelic intonation, as if to guide the listener onto a different path. The world is at crisis point, it seems to infer, and we need to find another way.

"It's a universal call to action, an alarm of urgency resounding and transforming into digitized war cries," Self told The FADER about "Telling," co-produced by Nick Weiss. "Focused on the voice as an instrument of change, 'Telling' emerges from rhythmic vocal hocketing into a cautionary invitation to face dangers ahead." Elation will be self-released this June 3rd on USB, and will be available for sale at an "active listening event" and release party at Secret Project Robot in Brooklyn.