Back in 2012 the hazy youth of Birmingham originated four piece Swim Deep not so much exploded as dreamily skateboarded onto the music scene with their dreamy, summery indie pop debut ‘Where the heaven are we?’.
It was the perfect summer sound for all those denim clad adolescents with crazy colour dye clinging to the strands of their hair and the inner contents of NME doing a pirouette around their vinyl player.
It’s standard to expect bands to play it safe with second albums-particuarly those as young as Swim Deep.
But the course of three years has acquired the band more than just a new member in the form of keyboardist James Balmont. ‘Mothers‘ hits you like brushing your fingertips across the surface of a flame; it’s unexpected, dynamic and leaves a lingering impact long after it’s over.
The album takes a physchadelic, trippy and refreshingly brave twist on their previous style. In many ways the staggering force of the risk the boys have taken is what makes this album such an intriguing listen; if it wasn’t for frontman Austin Williams’ trademark falsetto/purring vocals you’d scarcely make the connection that this is the same band from the first album. Personally I love it, there’s nothing stale or caricature esque of any other artist about it. ‘Mothers’ is the kind of exotic and explorative album that surely categorises as art; it’s simultaneously chaotic, creative and cathartic.
Highlights are the aptly named reverence of opening track ‘One great song and I can change the world‘, the frenzied and banal beauty of crazed eight minute track ‘Fueiho Boogie‘ and the blissful reverence of ‘Heavenly Moment’.
It may be sporadically bizzare and kaildoscopic at certain points-and then again it might also be one of the most innovative and near genius albums I’ve heard in years. Either way it’s making me thankful that I’ll be attenting their gig at the roundhouse this month, as an opportunity to hear these tracks live sounds more than good to me.
You can purchase ‘Mothers’ and find out more about Swim Deep Here
boundforsound 