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Philip Selway Performs For NPR Tiny Desk Concert – New EP “Live at Evolution Studios” Out December 8th via Bella Union

December 5, 2023

Philip Selway

Performs an NPR Tiny Desk Concert

New EP, Live at Evolution Studios

Out December 8 via Bella Union

Philip Selway’s Tiny Desk Concert aired arriving just ahead of the new EP, Live at Evolution Studios that heand the Elysian Collective will release via Bella Union on Friday, December 8. Recorded for NPR in September with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME), Philip performed a few tracks from his recent album, Strange Dance giving renditions of “Picking Up Pieces”, “The Heart Of It All” and “Check For Signs Of Life”.

There is such a sincere warmth to Philip, in the vocal harmony range, in the crucial lyrics and its delivery. The warmth radiates from every attribute of this Tiny Desk Concert. The emotional arrangements hook you, but the joy on each musician’s face performing together, it gives a new meaning to the performance as they explore the powerful tracks.

A remarkable live setting for these affectionate arrangements to come to life.

A companion piece of sorts to Strange Dance, the acclaimed solo album which Selway released earlier this year, this superb Live at Evolution Studios collection features Selway collaborating with celebrated string quartet Elysian Collective and percussionist Chris Vatalaro, reimagining his songs in a more slimmed-down setting.

Commenting on the album Selway says: “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. As well as songs from Strange Dance, there is also a version of one of my soundtrack pieces, “People of The Sea”, and a track called “Song for Us”, which was written as a pitch piece for a TV show.”