“Stunning… the spirit of collaboration is strong and showcases the power of music in healing.”
(Bon Iver)
About the Album
Released July 24, 2020 on 37d03d
The “We Are Not Machines: Meta Version” is a truly mind-bending other-side-of-the-sonic-coin version, masterminded and arranged by visionary composer William Brittelle.
The recording features vocalists Holland Andrews and Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock Of Dimes, Bon Iver), as well as the renowned Metropolis Ensemble, which features Erika Dohi, a captivating mainstay of the 37d03d community.
According to Brittelle, "I was frankly moved to tears upon first hearing Pieta's original version of this song and was extremely excited when she and Mary Hickson suggested I create an alternate version. Pieta's song seems somehow to distill a sentiment I and many others had been feeling for a long time to its very core.
For my version of the track, I decided to engage with the machine world directly, using auto-tune, walls of synths, sectionalized form, and programmed drums as a foil to Pieta's heart wrenching lyrics and melody. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the help of Metropolis Ensemble and guest vocalists Jenn Wasner and Holland Andrews, all dear friends of mine, on this project.
Our final day of tracking was my last day of IRL art making pre-quarantine. To me, Pieta's sentiment now feels more poignant than ever."
As Bon Iver raved: “Do yourself a favor and listen to Pieta Brown’s stunning We Are Not Machines: The spirit of collaboration is strong and showcases the power of music in healing.”
Recent Reviews
“I was frankly moved to tears upon first hearing Pieta's original version of this song and was extremely excited when she and Mary Hickson suggested I create an alternate version.”
William Brittelle
In a flurry of activity in recent years, Metropolis and William Brittelle have collaborated on many projects, including Forbidden Colors, The Meta Simulacrum, and the album release of Spiritual America. He is also working on a new album with Wye Oak.
WATCH: “We Are Not Machines, Meta Version” directed by Peadar Ó Goill, movement by Taylor Graham, marine footage by Oliver Hegarty.
Project In-Depth
Collective in its essence and source, “We Are Not Machines” was recorded at HIVER (the 2019 37d03d Artist in Residency and Eaux Claires winter Festival), in a make-shift studio in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
The digital triptych/EP, expands the collective Not-Machines horizon, exploring variations on a theme, including William Brittelle’s “Meta” version and Korde Arrington Tuttle’s “Body Made of Stars” version.
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Pieta Brown: We Are Not Machines featuring Ani DiFranco, S. Carey, Trevor Hagan, Mary Hickson, Shahzad Ismaily, Ben Lester, Mike Lewis, and Talos
William Brittelle: We Are Not Machines, Meta Version featuring Like a Villain (Holland Andrews), Metropolis Ensemble, and Jenn Wasner
knotahaiku: We Are Not Machines: Body Made of Stars featuring knotahaiku (Korde Arrington Tuttle) and Limit Infrared
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Studio: Eaux Claires Hiver
Engineer: Brian Joseph
Mastering: Huntley Miller
Artwork: Eric Timothy Carlson
Pieta Brown
Artist
Pieta Brown is hailed as a "self-styled poetess, folk goddess and country waif" by the BBC, and over the course of the past decade-and-a-half, she’s released eight critically lauded records, prompting NPR to applaud her "moody, ethereal" songwriting, and the NY Times to praise her “sweet, smoky voice.” Her work garners praise and support from a wide array of peers and mentors, including legendary producer Don Was, filmmaker Wim Wenders, and Bon Iver mastermind Justin Vernon, who called Brown’s 2014 album Paradise Outlaw his “favorite recording made at our studio.” More »
William Brittelle
Composer
William Brittelle (he/him) is a Brooklyn-based genre-fluid composer, producer and creator of hyper-text and multimedia. An avid collaborator, Brittelle has worked with a number of artists across multiple disciplines. His latest full-length LP entitled Spiritual America featuring Wye Oak, the Metropolis Ensemble, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, was released by Nonesuch/New Amsterdam in 2019. Increasingly active as a producer, upcoming and recent projects include albums with Alex Temple/Julia Holter/Spektral Quartet, vocalist/percussionist Jodie Landau, the string ensemble Owls, singer/composer Aditya Prakash, vocalist Holland Andrews, violinist Michi Wiancko, keyboardist Erika Dohi, and Roomful of Teeth. More »
