Not only is Dan Mangan our current cover star, but his Arts & Crafts imprint Madic Records is about to release its very first full-length. Astral Swans' album All My Favorite Singers Are Willie Nelson will be out on February 24, and it's available to stream right now on Exclaim.ca.
These 12 tracks are extremely minimal, with barebones strumming and hushed singing supporting by a few pattering rhythms, avant-garde synths and psychedelic production touches. There's a hint of buoyant brightness to the acoustic groove of "Beginning of the End," but the morbid lyrics set a dark mood that's typical of songwriter Matthew Swann.
Elsewhere, each line in "September" is punctuated with a disorienting blast of echo, while "Attention" trades out the usual synth abstractions for strings to create an ominous orchestral soundscape. Swann used to perform as Extra Happy Ghost!!!, and this album acts as a natural successor to 2011's Modern Horses.
Hear it all below. Astral Swans will be touring with Mangan in the coming weeks.
These 12 tracks are extremely minimal, with barebones strumming and hushed singing supporting by a few pattering rhythms, avant-garde synths and psychedelic production touches. There's a hint of buoyant brightness to the acoustic groove of "Beginning of the End," but the morbid lyrics set a dark mood that's typical of songwriter Matthew Swann.
Elsewhere, each line in "September" is punctuated with a disorienting blast of echo, while "Attention" trades out the usual synth abstractions for strings to create an ominous orchestral soundscape. Swann used to perform as Extra Happy Ghost!!!, and this album acts as a natural successor to 2011's Modern Horses.
Hear it all below. Astral Swans will be touring with Mangan in the coming weeks.
