Performer Notes

The second studio album to be released under his own name, Owen Pallett's In Conflict, despite its antagonistic title, sounds like the culmination of all of his previous guises (Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire string arranger, Oscar-nominated co-writer of the score to 2013's Her), and while it may peer into the abyss (at least thematically), it's as cathartic and engaging a collection of songs as he's committed himself to thus far. Recorded in Montreal by engineer and producer Mark Lawson, In Conflict's 13 tracks exist, sonically, somewhere in between the sugary opulence of Kishi Bashi and J¢nsi and the chilly refinement of Homogenic-era Bj”rk, with the latter providing the most noticeable trail of crumbs, due in large part to the tasteful use of the Czech FILMharmonic Orchestra and the steady presence of Brian Eno, who lends his considerable chops on synth and guitar (he also sings on much of the album) to the production. Pallett's signature blend of classical-minded chamber rock and fractured ambient-electro-pop has never sounded so accessible as it does on cuts like the sumptuous opener "I Am Not Afraid," the appropriately loose and rambling "On a Path," and the icy, Kraftwerk-meets-Ultravox pulse of "Song for Five & Six." Even at its most wounded and immediate, the cavernous "Riverbed" and the spooky yet oddly comforting "Passions," there is a rich vein of humanity that remains tapped into, and that audio IV serves as In Conflict's foundation, shoring up its creator's notion that the "record is meant to approach "insanity" in a positive way." It's an idea that's best summed up by a line at the end of the galvanizing closer "Soldiers Rock": "Pick up the bayonet and run it through the stomach of your brother/Pick up your bloody arm and put it round the shoulder of your lover." ~ James Christopher Monger

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The classically trained multi-instrumentalist's second album under his own name showcases his warm, elegant voice, matched with his compelling skill on violin, viola and synths..."

CMJ - "He's an incredibly talented musician whose intrinsically catchy songs might fool you into thinking it's not that impressive -- until a little something in the song reminds you that it is."

Paste (magazine) - "IN CONFLICT is often a dizzyingly impressive musical feat, combining classical, pop and electronic composition in a manner that feels effortless."

Pitchfork (Website) - "The album is mournful and restrained in tone, featuring his most pleading and open vocal performances."

Album: In Conflict
#	Song Title	Time
1)	I Am Not Afraid
2)	In Conflict
3)	On a Path
4)	Song for Five & Six
5)	Secret Seven, The
6)	Chorale
7)	Passions, The
8)	Sky Behind the Flag, The
9)	---> (1)
10)	Riverbed, The
11)	Infernal Fantasy
12)	Soldiers Rock
13)	---> (2)

Album: In Conflict
#	Song Title	Time
1)	I Am Not Afraid
2)	In Conflict
3)	On a Path
4)	Song for Five & Six
5)	Secret Seven, The
6)	Chorale
7)	Passions, The
8)	Sky Behind the Flag, The
9)	---> (1)
10)	Riverbed, The
11)	Infernal Fantasy
12)	Soldiers Rock
13)	---> (2)