Either you do or you don’t. There’s no in between.
Some records are a sprint, others hurdles, while others still are long distance hauls. Swans have been making ultra marathons for decades and Birthing, their seventeenth studio album, sounds as fresh, intense and challenging as any.
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. We’ll do a final tour in this mode towards the end of 2025, then that’s it.
After that, Swans will continue, so long as I’m 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
I recommend getting all consumed.