Aaron Dessner On Taylor Swift's FOLKLORE Producer And Co-Writer Of 11 Tracks

Aaron Dessner is a New York-based musician, composer and producer, best known for his work in Grammy®-award winning alternative band The National, whose albums he has co-produced and co-written since the group's inception in 1999.

He began producing outside projects almost a decade ago, developing his own distinctive sound and approach, and an ability to connect with artists from disparate genres. Today, he is excited to announce his involvement in producing and co-writing eleven songs on Taylor Swift's eighth studio album, folklore, out today. Buy/stream the album HERE.

"I'm so very proud of all these songs and profoundly grateful to Taylor for inviting me into and trusting me in her process," said Dessner. "She is one of the most talented, hardworking and deeply caring artists I've ever encountered. There's a palpable humanity and warmth and raw emotion in these songs that I hope you'll love as much as I do."

Songs written with & produced by Aaron Dessner on folklore:
1. the 1
2. cardigan
3. the last great american dynasty
4. exile (produced only)
7. seven
11. invisible string
12. mad woman
13. epiphany
14. betty (produced only with Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift)
15. peace
16. hoax

In addition to his writing & production on the album, Aaron also contributed piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mellotron, OP1 and Synth Bass, percussion, bass, drum programming, slide guitar, synthesizer, keyboards, high string guitar, & drone.

Maybe it's because he's a twin, but Aaron Dessner says he feels like he was born to collaborate. "My brother Bryce and I grew up sharing a room and playing music at the same time, so it's always been natural for me to develop ideas with other people." Bryce is also featured on folklore, providing orchestration on eight songs.

His studio, Long Pond, near Hudson, New York, has become a creative oasis for Dessner and his collaborators -- a place where the beauty of the woods and the water makes it easy to get lost in the moment. "The best music happens when you aren't overthinking or putting too much pressure on yourself," he says. "What is most rewarding for me now is to write music and share it with other musicians, to see what strange alchemy happens when someone else adds their own voice, emotion and ideas into it. I think every idea is worth chasing, and every experiment is worthwhile. Sometimes what seems like a discardable fragment is actually the seed of a great song."

Dessner also collaborates with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon on their collaborative project Big Red Machine, and co-founded international music festivals including the Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival in Wisconsin, Boston Calling, and the National's own Homecoming festival in Cincinnati. Along with his brother Bryce, Vernon and a community of musicians and creatives, he launched the 37d03d (PEOPLE) collective in 2016. 37d03d produces multi-artist events and operates an independent record label, all with the goal of supporting and encouraging spontaneous collaboration.

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