“It’s blurry and disorienting: a collage of eyes, ears, and mouths materializing in front of the camera, soundtracked by one of the most direct melodies Herndon has ever composed.”
– Pitchfork on ‘Eternal’
“Machine-R&B masterpiece.”
– The Guardian on ‘Eternal’
Holly Herndon, the acclaimed Berlin-based artist, performer and composer, has released “Eternal – Re-imagined”, a new version of the original track from her groundbreaking 4AD album PROTO (2019).
+ Listen to ‘Eternal – Re-Imagined’ +
Released as the album’s first single, “Eternal” was a bold introduction to the concept of PROTO, which used A.I. program ‘Spawn’ as a member of the ensemble alongside a Berlin-based choir. Remixed and re-orchestrated by renowned composers Vince Pope and Alex Davies, “Eternal Reimagined” offers a fresh take on the intelligent ‘pop anthem’ (The Guardian).
Of the reworked track, Vince Pope says: “I first saw Holly Herndon perform at the Barbican Centre in 2023 and was immediately captivated by her performance and her music. It felt like something very fresh and innovative – which isn’t always easy to find in today’s world. I became fascinated by her approach and the embrace of AI in creating something on the fringes of electronica and avant-garde music. I approached Holly to re-imagine and re-orchestrate ‘Eternal’, using the vocals but going in an almost opposite direction by arranging the piece for string orchestra. And in doing so hopefully coming full circle to achieve something totally unique and new.”
+ Listen to ‘Eternal – Re-Imagined’ +
PROTO makes reference to what Holly Herndon refers to as the ‘protocol era’, where rapidly surfacing ideological battles over the future of A.I. protocols, centralized and decentralized internet protocols, and personal and political protocols compel us to ask ourselves ‘who are we,’ ‘what are we,’ ‘what do we stand for,’ and ‘what are we heading towards?’
For PROTO, Herndon assembled a contemporary ensemble of vocalists, developers, and an inhuman intelligence housed in a DIY souped-up gaming PC to create a record that encompasses live vocal processing and timeless folk singing, and places an emphasis on alien song craft and new forms of communion.