It'll take a listen or two just to get your head around the fact this is the same Swim Deep whose debut album was fronted by the lyrics, 'don't just dream in your sleep it's just lazy'; a lethargic approach to a debut which at the time was filled with such promise.
Previous tracks weren't dreadful, no. After all, 2013 saw a lot of attention on Swim Deep, probably only due to radiation of praise towards fellow B-Town mates, Peace. The problem though was that songs with the lyrics, 'Fuck your romance I wanna pretend, that Jenny Lee Lindberg is my girlfriend' are unlikely to stand the test of time and a superficial growing hysteria around the band. After twelve tracks it's been hard to see where Swim Deep could go from debut album, 'Where The Heaven Are We' and progress to a more serious level, until now.
You always knew 2015 was the natural, two-year cycle, return for Swim Deep and here it is. Disguised under a gown of synth-pop, new addition James Balmont has revived the band, with new track, 'To My Brother', crying out to be an early contender for summer indie anthem. Frontman, Austin Williams', vocals are obscured by the greater focus on 80s melodic synth and thicker guitar riffs. It's what The Klaxons latest record should've sounded like and any bullshit lyrics are quickly rid of, with 'All I do is preach for my brother', being the main loop which blissfully echoes through a much richer track which only gets better throughout.
To have moved away from their previous sound is something that'll reinvigorate crowds and some love-lost fans. Quite what the rest of the new album will sound like though is open for debate.
Swim Deep - 'To My Brother'
Out of 10: 8/10
Previous tracks weren't dreadful, no. After all, 2013 saw a lot of attention on Swim Deep, probably only due to radiation of praise towards fellow B-Town mates, Peace. The problem though was that songs with the lyrics, 'Fuck your romance I wanna pretend, that Jenny Lee Lindberg is my girlfriend' are unlikely to stand the test of time and a superficial growing hysteria around the band. After twelve tracks it's been hard to see where Swim Deep could go from debut album, 'Where The Heaven Are We' and progress to a more serious level, until now.
You always knew 2015 was the natural, two-year cycle, return for Swim Deep and here it is. Disguised under a gown of synth-pop, new addition James Balmont has revived the band, with new track, 'To My Brother', crying out to be an early contender for summer indie anthem. Frontman, Austin Williams', vocals are obscured by the greater focus on 80s melodic synth and thicker guitar riffs. It's what The Klaxons latest record should've sounded like and any bullshit lyrics are quickly rid of, with 'All I do is preach for my brother', being the main loop which blissfully echoes through a much richer track which only gets better throughout.
To have moved away from their previous sound is something that'll reinvigorate crowds and some love-lost fans. Quite what the rest of the new album will sound like though is open for debate.
Swim Deep - 'To My Brother'
Out of 10: 8/10