Michael Gira's Swans sign to Mute, announce To Be Kind

This week Mute announced their latest signing – Michael Gira's Swans will now join the roster, which includes Liars, Yeasayer, and Maps, and has hosted many notable figures in the history of electonic and guitar music since its foundation in 1978. The band's new album is titled To Be Kind, and will be released on 13 May this year. 2012's critically acclaimed The Seer was the band's last record. The new album will feature collaborations with St. Vincent, Little Annie and Cold Specks and will clock in at over 2 hours. 

Writing on the Mute website, Gira reports that the release will be available as a triple vinyl album, a double CD, and a 2-CD Deluxe Edition that will include a live DVD, as well as a possible release on USB stick. Recorded with prolific producer John Congleton (who counts The Roots, David Byrne and Explosions in the Sky in his credits), the album was "developed live during the Swans tours of 2012/13," says Gira, adding: "The recordings and entire process of this album were generously and perhaps vaingloriously funded by Swans supporters through our auspices at Young God Records via the release of a special, handmade 2xCD live album entitled Not Here / Not Now."

Mute founder Daniel Miller adds: "I can’t tell you how pleased and excited I am to be working with Michael again, the live shows he has been performing with Swans since they reformed have been utterly outstanding and like nothing else I’ve seen or heard before."

From the archive

FEATURES
Swans' Michael Gira on touring: "There are all kinds of worlds within a single chord..."
The Phantom Band's Rock Anthony interviews Michael Gira: "I strive to make something that’s completely overwhelming..."

REVIEWS
Swans – The Seer