Thematically and atmospherically, it is even more successful than The Crying Light, achieving its cohesiveness with an even wider stylistic palette.
While Swanlights shares its predecessor’s themes, it shuns its insularity, with Antony stretching his arms across a vast landscape.
Across three records and a few dozen collaborations, Antony's seemed an uncanny puppet master of grace; Swanlights, however, wobbles.
As with Hegarty's previous releases, there remains the sense that this is an album to be admired, rather than loved, but that's not to take anything away from the beautiful craftsmanship on display here.
It’s still an album that contains peerless highs, particularly when Antony surrenders himself completely to songs like ‘Everything Is New’ and ‘Swanlights’, but a more dynamic reconstruction of the Johnsons’ core sound would be most welcome next time around.
And I quote: "Thematically and atmospherically, it is even more successful than The Crying Light, achieving its cohesiveness with an even wider stylistic palette." - Jonathan Dean Tiny Mix Tapes
To this beginning, I'll add the success of this album is, in part, attributable to Nico Muhly.
Quite a compelling performance and display of Anohni's mesmerizing prowess as a modern music wunderkind. Frankly, 'Swanlights' continues to beguile me as the years pass and often finds me wondering ... read more
Probably my least favorite Antony and the Johnsons album, but I can never resist hearing Anohni's voice. The title track and "Salt Silver Oxygen" are clear highlights. The Björk duet is nice, but they sound better on "Dull Flame of Desire" and "Atom Dance". Still, this is a nice bookend to Antony and the Johnsons' studio albums.
1 | Everything Is New 4:32 | 82 |
2 | The Great White Ocean 4:59 | 82 |
3 | Ghost 3:08 | 85 |
4 | I'm In Love 3:52 | 80 |
5 | Violetta 0:36 | 77 |
6 | Swanlights 6:07 | 83 |
7 | The Spirit Was Gone 3:17 | 78 |
8 | Thank You For Your Love 4:14 | 90 |
9 | Flétta 4:23 | 94 |
10 | Salt Silver Oxygen 3:52 | 83 |
11 | Christina's Farm 7:23 | 79 |
#8 | / | Stereogum |
#40 | / | Tiny Mix Tapes |