Mute and Young God Records reissue Soundtracks for the Blind, the final Swans album released in 1996 prior to their 2010 reformation. Led by Michael Gira, Swans formed in 1982 and produced a series of diverse albums before disbanding in 1997. During this time they made their mark and have since become an influential band for countless experimental and post-rock acts. Michael Gira explains that “This album has everything in there – all the ideas from Swans’ initial 15 years of work.”

Swans’ biggest and best album? I think so. There’s so much variety to the intense experimentations on this sprawling album and so much more to get out of the tracks each time you revisit them. When it was first released in 1996, it created a whole new sound, distinct from contemporaries and bands that had come before them. Even today, the album completely stands out in all its droning glory.   

FFO: Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Rowland S Howard, Sonic Youth, World of Skin.

By Martha