Lisa Hannigan's New Album, At Swim, Streaming Now via NPR First Listen

Lisa Hannigan's highly anticipated new album, At Swim, is exclusively streaming now via NPR First Listen. Of the album NPR Music says, "At Swim is a triumph of Hannigan's understated versatility..." Listen to the record here: http://n.pr/2b7YvKS. At Swim will be released August 19 via ATO Records.

Recently, Hannigan's video for "Fall," premiered on The Wall Street Journal who explains that it, "finds her exploring new sonic territory." Also, NPR Music premiered the track "Prayer for the Dying," hailing, "This first taste of At Swim...showcases Hannigan's considerable gift for slow-burning melancholy. Setting her lustrous voice against a backdrop of piano, slide guitar and swooning backing vocals, the song sways sweetly for four and a half languid, hypnotic minutes."

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 RossTurner (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 they will also perform at Eaux Claires Festival this weekend, August 12-13. More U.S. tour dates to be added soon.

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