Villagers announce new album and single

Irish indie-folk darlings Villagers have announced their fourth album – their first in three years since 2015’s Darling Arithmetic – titled The Art Of Pretending To Swim, which will be released on the 21^st September via Domino.

Whilst Darling Arithmetic was a sparse, intimate affair, Villagers mastermind Conor O’Brien has reconnected with the multi-faceted approach of their 2010 debut Becoming A Jackal whilst simultaneousl adding a soulful, rhythmic, and dazzling panoply of sonic detail.

To celebrate the announcement, Villagers have dropped the album’s first single, A Trick Of The Light. Speaking on the video, Conor commented:

“Myself and Bob [Gallagher] got together and discussed the song thematically and came to the conclusion that there was no other option but to make a short film in which we follow a dishevelled shamanistic protagonist who mysteriously triggers an altered state of consciousness in everyone he meets, or at least believes that he does. We also wanted lots of dancing and to inspire a general feeling of “what the hell did I just watch?” in the viewer.”

The Art Of Pretending To Swim’s tracklist is as follows:

1. Again
   2.     A Trick Of The Light
   3.     Sweet Saviour
   4.     Long Time Waiting
   5.     Fool
   6.     Love Came With All That It Brings
   7.     Real Go-Getter
   8.     Hold Me Down
   9.     Ada