Aaron Dessner Calls Working With Taylor Swift 'Experience Of A Lifetime'

Just five months after dropping folklore, Taylor Swift surprise-released its "sister album" evermore. And this time, Aaron Dessner had an even more prominent role (which is hard to believe considering he co-wrote 11 out of folklore's 16 tracks), co-writing and/or producing every song on the album except "gold rush."

This time around, his brother Bryce also contributed more to the project, and his band The National is featured on "coney island." When the album came out, Dessner shared a lengthy message on Instagram expressing his gratitude.

"It’s only been 5 months since folklore was released. But truth be told @taylorswift and I never actually stopped exchanging ideas and somehow we've finished a sister record called evermore that I love just as much," he wrote. "These songs are wilder and freer, sometimes in strange time signatures and darker hues, but very much a continuation of what we started with folklore."

"I can't begin to express my gratitude and respect for Taylor -- I never cease to wonder at her seemingly boundless talent as a singer and a songwriter and storyteller. It’s been the experience of a lifetime to work so fast and furiously with her," he continued. "As with folklore, @jackantonoff, @blobtower and William Bowery all contributed brilliant ideas and songwriting — the same alchemy and teamwork continued. This time my brother @brycedessner contributed much more as well— helping write and produce Coney Island and orchestrating the entire record. I’ve never done anything creatively of any value without Bryce helping to elevate it, as he does here again. As important, @heyjonlow has been my brother in all of this work too -- I could never have conceived of this without him by my side every step of the way. And Justin @blobtower, who has taught me so much, is here again too, lending his insane talents. If that wasn’t enough, my bandmates in @thenational, Matt, Bryan and Scott along with Bryce, are here too. We learned to write songs and make records together. Hearing Matt sing with Taylor and the entire band perform on Coney Island — things have come full circle."

The National vocalist Matt Berninger also shared what it was like to work with the pop star.

"Singing a song with Taylor Swift is like dancing with Gene Kelly," he wrote on Instagram. "She made me look good and didn't drop me once. "coney island" is an incredibly beautiful song she and Aaron Dessner wrote together. It really made me miss Brooklyn. Such a blast being a part of evermore. Thank you so much @taylorswift, @aarondessner, @heyjonlow and @thebestofspatrickobrien"

See Dessner and Berninger's messages below.

Photo: Getty Images