Villagers - The Art Of Pretending To Swim (2018) [Hi-Res]

Restless and inventive, while always true to the power of songwriting and melody, Conor O’Brien has made another great leap forward with Villagers’ fourth studio album, The Art Of Pretending To Swim, out via Domino on September 21, 2018. Following the sparse, intimate aura of 2015’s Darling Arithmetic, O’Brien’s new record reconnects with the multi-faceted approach of Villagers’ 2010 album debut Becoming A Jackal and 2013’s {Awayland} while adding a new-found soulfulness, rhythmic nous and sonic detail. The 9 songs on The Art Of Pretending To Swim balance a direct accessibility with lyrical themes embracing existential fears and hopes in this desperate, technologically-centred dystopian age. The album was written, produced, mixed and primarily performed by Conor O’Brien in his Dublin studio.