Lykke Li has claimed that Bono told her she “blew everyone out of the water” when she recorded vocals for U2’s new album.

The Swedish singer appears on the band’s free album ‘Songs of Innocence’, contributing vocals on final track ‘The Troubles’. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Lykke Li revealed details of the recording process and also the fact that Bono told her that ‘Never Gonna Love Again’ is his favourite song from her latest album ‘I Never Learn’.

“Bono was very kind,” said Li – who explained that she recorded ‘The Troubles’ twice, first without the band and then again with them in the studio. “He was kind of like the quiet leader, instructing me how to sing in tune – which I usually don’t.”

“Mostly, they let me do my own thing,” she continued, “but we tried different things like to whisper it to someone or to scream it to someone, but it was all about creating intimacy. We turned off all the music and sang only to the drums, so it was really getting to what the core of the song meant. I had a wonderful time.”

It was revealed yesterday (September 10) that free downloads of ‘Songs Of Innocence’ will be ineligible for the UK Albums Chart until it is released physically on October 13.

The album is the band’s first album since 2009’s ‘No Line On The Horizon’ and was recorded with producers Danger Mouse, Flood, Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder. It features a tribute to The Clash, ‘This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now’, as well as ‘Iris (Hold Me Close)’, a song about Bono’s mother, who died when he was 14, while ‘Raised By Wolves’ is about a car bombing in Dublin.

Bono has said of the record: “It has a lyrical cohesion that I think is unique among U2 albums. I don’t want it to be a concept album, but the songs come from a place. Edge laughed and said this is our ‘Quadrophenia’. We could be so lucky.”

The ‘Songs Of Innocence’ tracklisting is:

‘The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)’

‘Every Breaking Wave’

‘California (There Is No End To Love)’

‘Song For Someone’

‘Iris (Hold Me Close)’

‘Volcano’

‘Raised By Wolves’

‘Cedarwood Road’

‘Sleep Like A Baby Tonight’

‘This Is Where You Can Read Me Now’

‘The Troubles’

Lykke Li is touring in November. Click here to buy tickets.