Colin Stetson is a horn player of uncommon strength, skill and genre-defying creativity. He composes and performs otherworldly songs that combine a mastery of circular breathing technique with percussive valve-work and reed vocalisations, making a polyphonic solo music that combines influences as diverse as Bach, early metal, American pre-war Gospel, and the explorations of Jimi Hendrix, Peter Brotzman and Albert Ayler.New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges is Stetson's second solo record and his first for Constellation.  Colin has been making his mark as a staggering solo performer for several years now, in front of audiences small and large, from intimate jazz and experimental music venues to big stages, whether opening for Arcade Fire or The National, or playing at jazz and new music festivals like Moers and London Jazz. His talents have been widely recognised and employed by artists as diverse as Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, TV On The Radio and Bon Iver.  Colin also plays in Belle Orchestre and Sway Machinery.The music on New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges was captured entirely live in single takes at Montréal's Hotel2Tango studio, with no overdubs or looping, using over 20 mics positioned close and far throughout the live room. Guest vocals by Laurie Anderson and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) are the only exceptions to this rule, along with one brief french horn that was multi-tracked.The Judges sessions were co-produced by Stetson and Shahzad Ismaily and engineered by Efrim Menuck at the Hotel2Tango, then taken to Greenhouse StudiosBen Frost.The result is a highly original, experimental, euphoric record that fires on all levels: a document of an astoundingly strong and gifted player; a compositional tour-de-force; and a studio production bursting with intensity and inventiveness.New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges features cover art by Tracy Maurice and will be issued on CD in custom 100% recycled paperboard gatefold jacket and on 180gLP with a limited edition screenprinted poster contained in the first pressing. The album will also be available digitally.2011 Best Of ListsAll Music . com - 2011: The Year of the Saxophone - Ranked #4Baeble Music - MEGALIST: The end of the Year End - Ranked #46Boston Hassle - Dan Shea's Top 15 Records ListCHIRP (Chicago Independent Radio Project) - CHIRP Radio Best of 2011Consequence of Sound - Top 50 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #12DCist - The Best Albums of 2011Music Zeitgiest - The Best Albums of 2011 - Ranked #5The Nanfang - Top 10 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #4New York Magazine - The Year In Pop #2 The Needle Drop - Favorite Albums of 2011 - Ranked #18No Good Advice - Top 50 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #49NPR - 50 Favorite Albums of 2011Philadelphia Weekly - Top 10 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #7Pitchfork - The Top 50 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #44Prefix Magazine - Prefix's Top 50 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #15Rhapsody - The Mix: Top 25 Jazz Records of 2011 - Ranked #9Rhythm Circus - Best of 2011Said the Gramophone - Best Songs of 2011 - Ranked #11 (Fear of the Unknown and Blazing Sun)Sound on the Sound - North of Northwest : Top 10 Canadian Albums of 2011Spin Magazine - Spin's 20 Best Avant Albums of 2011 Ranked #9SSG Music - Best of 2011: Top 10 Post-Rock/ Ambient Albums in 2011 - Ranked #1Tiny Mixtapes - Favorite 50 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #3The Vancouver Sun - Top 40 Albums of 2011 - Ranked #11WNYC Radio - 2011 Year in Review : Best of Soundcheck Live91.5 WMFO - Music of 2011 : Top Ten Albums - Ranked #9