{"product_id":"swans-birthing","title":"Swans - Birthing","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eAlbum of the Week – Swans –\u003cem\u003e Birthing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e Staff Review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eBirthing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e is the 17th studio album from Swans, Michael Gira’s ever-evolving band. Known in their initial 1981-1997 run for traversing no wave, post-punk, industrial, folk, goth, and noise-rock, the band’s post-2010 output including\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eThe Seer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eand\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eTo Be Kind\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003emarked a period of colossal, uncompromising experimentation. Recent releases suggested a slowing down, but \u003cem\u003eB\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003eirthing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003e feels like a revelation, a return to the world-building, transcendental sound-sculpting that Swans do better than anyone\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e. Gira, now 71, has said this will be the last album of its kind, and it plays like a grand farewell.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eSpanning three LPs or two CDs, its seven tracks stretch across nearly two hours, averaging 16 minutes each. This is immersive, spiritual rock ‘n’ roll. Part sermon, part ritual, part devastation. Opener\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eThe Healers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003edelivers a 21-minute descent into apocalyptic noise, while \u003cem\u003eI Am A Tower\u003c\/em\u003e builds from spectral ambience to euphoric release in a rare moment of accessibility. The title track blends ambient soundscapes, trance-like jams, and piano-led intimacy, evoking echoes of Jim Morrison with cosmic scale.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eThroughout\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eBirthing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003ethe band draw on their vast sonic history, yet frequently pushes beyond it. From the foreboding lurch of\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eGuardian Spirit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eto the industrial-folk swirl of\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eThe Merge\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003e, and the transcendent finale\u003cem\u003e (Rope) Away\u003c\/em\u003e, this is Swans at their most expansive. If this really is the end of an era,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eBirthing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast; color: #212121;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #212121;\"\u003eis a towering, mythic, and deeply affecting final chapter from one of the most ambitious and uncompromising bands in modern music.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSwans\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e return with Birthing, the latest album, developed over the course of a yearlong 2023–2024 tour. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBirthing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is released via \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMute\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYoung God Records\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The initial pressings of the deluxe vinyl and CD include a bonus DVD featuring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSwans Live 2024\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (Rope) The Beggar, a concert film by Marco Porsia documenting the band's most recent US tour. The DVD also includes \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eI Wonder If I’m Singing What You’re Thinking Me To Sing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a documentary by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChristopher Nicholson\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003efollowing \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Gira\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e’s 2022 solo tour.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRefined through relentless improvisation and live performance, as well as newly composed studio pieces, Birthing is a testament to Michael Gira’s uncompromising sonic vision. Beginning as skeletal acoustic compositions, the songs were\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003egradually expanded and transformed in the studio with longtime live members and collaborators.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“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,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethen 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\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003epositive and fertile atmosphere in which to dream.” – \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Gira\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \/ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSwans\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProduced by Gira, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBirthing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was recorded at Soundfabrik Berlin, mixed at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCandy Bomber Studio\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIngo Krauss\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and mastered by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoug Henderson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMicro-Moose\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MUTE","offers":[{"title":"3LP - Black Vinyl + Bonus DVD","offer_id":53204857520455,"sku":"TRI-48607","price":64.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":53206712975687,"sku":"TRI-68082","price":22.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0931\/9779\/5655\/files\/79111e904cfa5293a0edffb124396fa8_c4b6ec75-2e37-4de1-b03b-f154ebad3ce0.webp?v=1769374358","url":"https:\/\/towerrecords.ie\/products\/swans-birthing","provider":"Tower Records Dublin Ireland","version":"1.0","type":"link"}