Angels Of Light

Angels of Light was essentially Michael Gira's project after Swans went on hiatus. The music often felt like a more intimate, folk-tinged counterpoint to Swans' overwhelming force, though it could still turn unsettling. Songs like 'Two Women' and 'Destroyer' showed Gira working with quieter, sometimes beautiful arrangements that didn't shy away from darkness.

The project began in 1998 with 'The New Mother,' credited to Michael Gira with Angels of Light. The self-titled 'Angels of Light' album in 2004 is often seen as a high point, blending ambient passages with stark lyrics. Other records like 'How I Loved You' and 'The Angels of Light Sing "Other People"' continued this exploration of emotional terrain with a rotating cast of collaborators.

Sigrid Sheie and Tara VanFlower provided vocals and keyboards at different times, adding texture to Gira's central vision. The work stretched into the 2010s, including a 2011 collaboration with Youth Code called 'Love Is Love.' The project served as a distinct outlet for Gira's songwriting between chapters of Swans.