Colleen
Encyclopedia
Colleen or Cécile Schott (born 1976) is a composer of electronic
and ambient music
based in France
.
with the ACID Pro
music production software contained within. Samples
were a common part of her early work and in summer 2003 the debut album Everyone Alive Wants Answers
was released. It was notable for its heavy use of looped
samples, which were taken from records in her collection and heavily modified. The album was critically well-received and drew enough attention to warrant touring. During live shows, Schott would replicate the sounds from the album using acoustic instruments played through pedals as she thought the idea of using a laptop
live was uninspiring.
This approach using live physical instruments led to the 2005 follow-up, The Golden Morning Breaks
, which retained the looped style present in earlier work but was something of a departure from the sampled setting of Everyone Alive Wants Answers. Instead the album consisted almost entirely of natural, non-synthetic sounds, an approach Schott has stated in interviews that she prefers.
In January 2006 Schott released a live album as part of the Staalplaat
label's series of live performances
, called Mort Aux Vaches
(meaning 'Death to Cows'). A second 2006 release in October, a 14-track EP called Colleen et les Boîtes à Musique
('Colleen and the Music Boxes'), was composed entirely using music boxes.
In May 2007, dancer and choreographer Perrine Valli performed Série, a production with an original score composed by Schott - her first foray into dance.
Les Ondes Silencieuses
('The Silent Waves'), Colleen's third full-length album, was released on May 21, 2007. A slight evolution in sound was again heard on the album, as Schott adopted a more free-form approach in place of the use of loops that were so apparent in much of her prior output.
Biographies and discographies:
Interviews:
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
based in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Music
Cécile Schott began making music under the name 'Colleen' in 2001, after a friend gave her a CD-RCD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
with the ACID Pro
ACID Pro
Sony ACID Pro is a professional digital audio workstation software program. It was originally called "ACID pH1" and published by Sonic Foundry, but is now developed and sold by Sony Creative Software....
music production software contained within. Samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
were a common part of her early work and in summer 2003 the debut album Everyone Alive Wants Answers
Everyone Alive Wants Answers
Everyone Alive Wants Answers is an album by Colleen, released in 2003.-Track listing:#"Everyone Alive Wants Answers" – 3:31#"Ritournelle" – 3:09#"Carry-Cot" – 1:53#"Your Heart on Your Sleeve" – 2:46#"Goodbye Sunshine" – 2:48...
was released. It was notable for its heavy use of looped
Music loop
In electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
samples, which were taken from records in her collection and heavily modified. The album was critically well-received and drew enough attention to warrant touring. During live shows, Schott would replicate the sounds from the album using acoustic instruments played through pedals as she thought the idea of using a laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
live was uninspiring.
This approach using live physical instruments led to the 2005 follow-up, The Golden Morning Breaks
The Golden Morning Breaks
The Golden Morning Breaks is an album by Colleen, released in 2005. It takes on a more natural and less synthetic sound than its predecessor, 2003's Everyone Alive Wants Answers, which was almost entirely sampled...
, which retained the looped style present in earlier work but was something of a departure from the sampled setting of Everyone Alive Wants Answers. Instead the album consisted almost entirely of natural, non-synthetic sounds, an approach Schott has stated in interviews that she prefers.
In January 2006 Schott released a live album as part of the Staalplaat
Staalplaat
Staalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
label's series of live performances
Mort Aux Vaches
Mort aux Vaches is the name of a series of albums released by the Staalplaat record label in collaboration with the Dutch radio station, VPRO. The name translates literally from French as “Death to Cows,” with “cows” being French slang for German cops - it is equivalent to “Death to Pigs” in English...
, called Mort Aux Vaches
Mort Aux Vaches (Colleen album)
Mort Aux Vaches is a full-length session recording from ambient music artist Colleen, released in 2006 as part of the Mort Aux Vaches music series. Keeping with the style of the series the album is packaged in a hardback case wrapped in textured wallpaper and fastened with a safety pin...
(meaning 'Death to Cows'). A second 2006 release in October, a 14-track EP called Colleen et les Boîtes à Musique
Colleen et les Boîtes à Musique
Colleen et les Boîtes à Musique is a 14-track EP by French electronica artist Colleen released on October 2, 2006. It was recorded between 2004 and January 2006 for the atelier de création radiophonique of France Culture, a national radio station, to be played back in a special broadcast...
('Colleen and the Music Boxes'), was composed entirely using music boxes.
In May 2007, dancer and choreographer Perrine Valli performed Série, a production with an original score composed by Schott - her first foray into dance.
Les Ondes Silencieuses
Les Ondes Silencieuses
Les Ondes Silencieuses is the third full-length album by French electronica artist Colleen released on May 21, 2007. The Japanese release features three bonus live tracks. The name can be interpreted in numerous ways...
('The Silent Waves'), Colleen's third full-length album, was released on May 21, 2007. A slight evolution in sound was again heard on the album, as Schott adopted a more free-form approach in place of the use of loops that were so apparent in much of her prior output.
Albums
- Everyone Alive Wants AnswersEveryone Alive Wants AnswersEveryone Alive Wants Answers is an album by Colleen, released in 2003.-Track listing:#"Everyone Alive Wants Answers" – 3:31#"Ritournelle" – 3:09#"Carry-Cot" – 1:53#"Your Heart on Your Sleeve" – 2:46#"Goodbye Sunshine" – 2:48...
– June 30, 2003 – The Leaf LabelThe Leaf LabelThe Leaf Label is an independent record label based in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Initially known as an electronic music label, releasing mainly instrumental music, the company's approach has broadened over the last few years and now features an eclectic range of artists, with a focus on strong... - The Golden Morning BreaksThe Golden Morning BreaksThe Golden Morning Breaks is an album by Colleen, released in 2005. It takes on a more natural and less synthetic sound than its predecessor, 2003's Everyone Alive Wants Answers, which was almost entirely sampled...
– May 23, 2005 – The Leaf LabelThe Leaf LabelThe Leaf Label is an independent record label based in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Initially known as an electronic music label, releasing mainly instrumental music, the company's approach has broadened over the last few years and now features an eclectic range of artists, with a focus on strong... - Mort Aux VachesMort Aux Vaches (Colleen album)Mort Aux Vaches is a full-length session recording from ambient music artist Colleen, released in 2006 as part of the Mort Aux Vaches music series. Keeping with the style of the series the album is packaged in a hardback case wrapped in textured wallpaper and fastened with a safety pin...
– January 25, 2006 – StaalplaatStaalplaatStaalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
– Live album, limited to 500 copies. - Les Ondes SilencieusesLes Ondes SilencieusesLes Ondes Silencieuses is the third full-length album by French electronica artist Colleen released on May 21, 2007. The Japanese release features three bonus live tracks. The name can be interpreted in numerous ways...
– May 21, 2007 – The Leaf LabelThe Leaf LabelThe Leaf Label is an independent record label based in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Initially known as an electronic music label, releasing mainly instrumental music, the company's approach has broadened over the last few years and now features an eclectic range of artists, with a focus on strong...
Singles
From Everyone Alive Wants Answers:- "Babies" – 2002 – Active SuspensionActive suspensionActive or adaptive suspension is an automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the wheels with an onboard system rather than the movement being determined entirely by the road surface...
External links
Biographies and discographies:
Interviews: