WATCH AND SHARE “SPIRAL” FT. JULIE DOIRON HERE
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ASTRAL SWANS SELF-TITLED LP OUT OCTOBER 8, 2021
PRE-ORDER ASTRAL SWANS HERE
Photo Credit :Tiffany Leung // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Astral Swans is Matthew Swann - a human song-maker specializing in abstract narratives of lonerism, frailty, absurdity, and whimsy, all told with darkly comedic empathy, and helpless concern. Today, Astral Swans shares the second single, “Spiral”, again featuring the vocals of Julie Doiron, from the upcoming self-titled album, out October 8, 2021.
Album opener, “Spiral”, was “the first song I wrote after Covid quarantine, in March 2020,” says Swann. “It’s about seeking out joy, and trying to escape pain in ways that backfire, within reference to the hamster wheel of late stage capitalism; consumerism, addiction, neoliberalism, the reduction of identity to social media posturing, etc ad infinitum. It’s about trying to escape something that seemingly has no escape, in spite of its glaring foolishness and lack, and the desperation which it brings to a person's humanity. In the studio we went for a 1970’s wrecking crew polished country vibe speckled with synth exploration a la Stereolab and Broadcast. Once again Julie’s vocals are the cherry on top. When I sent the final album to Jim Bryson (who’s one heck of a producer in his own right), He simply replied ‘you have Julie Doiron on it, you’ve already won the war’.”
WATCH AND SHARE “SPIRAL” FT. JULIE DOIRON HERE
BUY / STREAM “SPIRAL” FT. JULIE DOIRON HERE
MORE ABOUT ASTRAL SWANS
The new self-titled record is Astral Swans most upbeat, catchy, and immediate album to date. Each song operates as an absurdist short story filled with Swann’s wry observations of the sad beauty of mundane moments. Swann almost exclusively composed the songs internally on solo walks throughout various cities around the world (pre-covid), and the same city over and over again (during covid). As Swann describes it, “the melodies were written in my head, on long walks alone, like spontaneous flowers sprouted from the id; ecstatic downloads from the cosmos. Sometimes the lyrics appeared with the melodies, other times they were refined more consciously, after the fact.”
The songs range from affirmations of joy amidst dread, composed in the streets of Shimokitazawa Tokyo (“Wind In A Mindless Universe”), to ballads of disoriented uncertainty set against the backdrop of early quarantine (“Spiral”). Songs about birds heckling the anxious and heartbroken in Vondel Park Amsterdam (“Bird Songs”), to a cover of the Cat Power classic, “Cross Bones Style” sung as a duet with Julie Doiron (Eric’s Trip, Mt. Eerie). The album closer “Awake For A While”, is an interrogation of somebody who is trying to piece together the events that transpired over many days of, well...being awake.
WATCH AND SHARE “FLOOD” FT. JULIE DOIRON HERE
BUY / STREAM “FLOOD” FT. JULIE DOIRON HERE
Astral Swans was produced and engineered by Paul Chirka (Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra), and Brock Geiger (Reuben and the Dark), with Swann functioning as a third producer. Sonically it is rich and spacious, and features a diverse array of sounds ranging from delicate string arrangements, to atmospheric synth freak outs, and deconstructive guitar solos. All the while, seated atop all the instrumental beauty and chaos floats Swann’s uniquely haunting voice which effortlessly warbles and swoons through its natural range and into Swann’s trademark falsetto. Astral Swans ST brings with it an arts commune worth of fantastic collaborators. Guest performers include: Julie Doiron (Eric’s Trip, Mt. eerie) Cassia Hardy (Wares), LT Leif, Scott Munro (Preoccupations, Chad VanGaalen), Shalom Toy (SilverRing), Laura Hickli (36?), Minami Taga (Mako Puri), Swann’s childhood friend Carolyn Sweet, Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, Weakerthans), and more. Each guest adds their own unique addition to the sound, bringing their own bit of the world into Swann’s solipsistic compositions.
In 2015 Swann gained prominence as the first artist signed to Madic Records, an imprint of Arts & Crafts helmed by JUNO award-winning musician Dan Mangan, and created for the purpose of releasing Swann’s debut All My Favourite Singers Are Willie Nelson. The album received widespread acclaim, Noisey described it as “a stark, beautiful project that embraces darkness rather than shying away from it.” The Calgary Herald called Swann an artist of immeasurable depth, incredible smarts, remarkable bravery and infinite charm, creativity and insight.
2018’s Strange Prison (co-produced by Preoccupations’ Scott Munro) earned even more attention including accolades from Paste, Tiny Mix Tapes, Post Trash and a host of others. The album’s single CONTROLS reached number one on CBC radio 3 which led to a performance on CBC q, which highlighted Swann’s ability at “grabbing listeners' attention and holding onto it.”
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ASTRAL SWANS TRACKLIST
01 Spiral
02 Flood
03 Blackhole Town
04 End Of The World (Missing You)
05 Sympathy For The Stupid
06 Bird Songs
07 Wind In A Mindless Universe
08 Cross Bones Style
09 March 28/20
10 Beautiful Things Happen
11 More Nothing Than Something
12 I Was Awake For A While