The Swell Season –
MARKÉTA IRGLOVÁ & GLEN HANSARD
(IRE/CZC)
The Swell Season is the musical collaboration of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. After sold-out reunion shows in 2022 and an extensive US tour in 2023, the duo returns with Forward — their first full-length album in 16 years. Initially intended as a session for a few singles, the project evolved into an eight-track album featuring songs co-written by Hansard and Irglová, who alternate on lead vocals.
Building on their shared history, they reunite as creative equals, supported by long-time bandmates Joe Doyle, Marja Gaynor, and Bertrand Galen, with Piero Perelli joining on drums and Sturla Mio Thorisson producing. The result is a sound that honours their past while embracing new directions.
Hansard and Irglová first rose to international acclaim with the 2007 film Once, earning an Academy Award for Best Original Song with “Falling Slowly.” The film’s soundtrack received two Grammy nominations, and the pair went on to release the acclaimed album Strict Joy before pursuing solo careers. The Swell Season’s return with Forward marks a significant new chapter in their artistic journey.