Philip Selway (Radiohead) released Strange Dance earlier this year, following by a UK tour. Not Selway & Elysian Collective return with a companion piece, a live recording where Selway partners with string quartet Elysian Collective and percussionist Chris Vatalaro, reimagining the songs in a new format.
One of the songs, "Picking Up Pieces" (Live at Evolution Studios), is streaming now.
Selway gives some context:
This session with Elysian Collective and Chris Vatalaro was recorded at Evolution Studios in Oxford, where I recorded the bulk of Strange Dance and also my soundtrack work. It took place at the end of April ’23, just before I went out to do my UK and European dates. I originally brought this ensemble together to play at the launch event for Strange Dance back in February, as I felt this combination of string quartet and percussion, together with my vocals, piano and guitar would be a compact way to capture the scope of the varied musical textures on the album. I was so made up with how it sounded and how it reframed the songs, that I wanted to capture this dynamic in a recording.
The record comes out on Dec. 8 on Bella Union.
Track listing:
1. The Heart of it All
2. Picking Up Pieces
3. People of the Sea
4. The Other Side
5. Little Things
6. Check For Signs Of Life
7. There’ll Be Better Days
8. Song For Us
