Lisa Hannigan's New Album AT SWIM Released to Critical Acclaim

Lisa Hannigan's new album, At Swim, is out now via ATO Records. The album, which debuted as an NPR First Listen, is receiving widespread critical praise:

"At Swim is a triumph of Hannigan's understated versatility..."-NPR Music

"[it] finds her exploring new sonic territory."-The Wall Street Journal

"...Hannigan's soaring vocals never falter."-The Guardian

"Lisa Hannigan's graceful melodies champion At Swim."-Associated Press

"Hannigan doesn't shy away from the challenge, turning At Swim into one of the most wrenching, well-crafted albums of the year."-Newsday

"Lisa Hannigan's beautiful At Swim is an album to drown in."-The Telegraph

"Hannigan's habit of turning her shipwrecks into blessings pays off."
-Consequence Of Sound

"Could well be the most beautiful album of the year."-Evening Standard

"...the result is the somber, beautifully crafted musicality the National have mastered perfectly matched with Hannigan's unique and emotionally delicate vocals."-Baeble Music

Most recently, Hannigan debuted the official music video for her track "Ora," which was directed by her brother Jamie. The starting point for the video was a silhouette portrait of the siblings' mother, Frances, from when she was a little girl. Inspired further by finding YouTube videos of "crankies"-backlit-moving panoramas that are turned by hand-the team took turns operating the puppets one July afternoon in the Hannigans' parents' living room. Also see the official video for the album's single "Fall" here.

After touring in support of her last album, Passenger, for nearly two years, Hannigan began writing songs for her new record. Although she struggled to write new material while living in London, away from home and from what she describes as her "usual anchors and points of reference," Hannigan had a breakthrough when she got an email out of the blue from Aaron Dessner-guitarist in The National and producer of Dark Was the Night and records by Sharon Van Etten, This is the Kit and Frightened Rabbit, among others. Working with Dessner and rediscovering the collaborative spirit she'd missed in Dublin enabled Hannigan to see her life in London in a different light.

Hannigan and Dessner (guitar) started recording the new record with Logan Coale (bass) and Ross Turner (drums) in rural Hudson, NY at Future Past Studio. In the weeks that followed, Dessner produced the record at his home studio. "He didn't want it to sound too pretty," Hannigan says. "He wanted it to have a texture rather than have big arcing melodies." At Swim is in part about homesickness and isolation as well as about love.

To celebrate the release, Hannigan and Dessner recently appeared at Boston Calling and Eaux Claires Festival. More U.S. tour dates to be added soon.

Hannigan's 2008 Mercury Prize-nominated debut Sea Sew was released to widespread acclaim-The Los Angeles Times described the music as "charmingly idiosyncratic," while People Magazine called it "dreamy." In addition to her solo work, Hannigan sang with Damien Rice for seven years, touring worldwide. She contributed significantly to Rice's platinum-selling debut O and critically lauded follow-up 9. She also sang with the legendary Herbie Hancock on a rendition of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" for his Imagine Project alongside the Chieftains and Toumani Diabaté.

In 2015 Hannigan made her film debut, providing the voice for a Selkie in the Oscar-nominated Irish animationSong of the Sea. Since then, she's contributed a cover of "Danny Boy" to the TV series Fargo, as well as vocals for Steve Price's scores for Gravity-which won an Oscar-and Fury.