Alive in the Electric Snow Dream

“Composer William Brittelle's Alive in the Electric Snow Dream is a hyperdense meditation on the climate crisis embodied through the lens of the pandemic. Conceptualized and recorded entirely in quarantine, Snow Dream was created in collaboration with the Metropolis Ensemble, a “vibrant collective” (New York Times) led by Grammy-nominated Andrew Cyr. Metropolis musicians Brad Balliett (bassoon), Ben Cassorla (guitars), Paul Wiancko (strings), and Immanuel Wilkins (sax) tracked the piece remotely with the guidance of mixing engineer Zach Hanson (yMusic, The Staves, S. Carey). The work features the “satin vocals” (Pitchfork) of acclaimed singer Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock of Dimes, Bon Iver) and Eliza Bagg (Lisel).

"This project, birthed in the early days of the pandemic and executed entirely in quarantine, functioned as an artistic lifeline during an extremely isolating stretch of time,” explains Brittelle. “For me, the project stands as a testament to the centrality and durability of making records for the modern musician - especially in the face of challenging circumstances (to say the least)."