Birthing: 2CD + DVD

Description:

Swans return with Birthing, the latest album, developed over the course of a yearlong 20232024 tour.

Birthing is released via Mute and Young God Records. The initial pressings of the deluxe vinyl and CD include a bonus DVD featuring Swans Live 2024 (Rope) The Beggar, a concert film by Marco Porsia documenting the band's most recent US tour. The DVD also includes I Wonder If Im Singing What Youre Thinking Me To Sing, a documentary by Christopher Nicholson following Michael Giras 2022 solo tour.

Refined through relentless improvisation and live performance, as well as newly composed studio pieces, Birthing is a testament to Michael Giras uncompromising sonic vision. Beginning as skeletal acoustic compositions, the songs were gradually expanded and transformed in the studio with longtime live members and collaborators.

This album, coupled with the recent live release, Live Rope, constitutes my final foray (as producer / impresario) into the all-consuming sound worlds that have been my obsession for years. Well do a final tour in this mode towards the end of 2025,

then thats it. After that, Swans will continue, so long as Im able, but in a significantly pared down form. Hints of that direction can be found in a few moments on the current album. In the meantime, my hope is that the music provides a positive and fertile atmosphere in which to dream. Michael Gira / Swans

Produced by Gira, Birthing was recorded at Soundfabrik Berlin, mixed at Candy Bomber Studio by Ingo Krauss, and mastered by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose.