Picture a long, midnight motorway drive, the window is wide open, the air is fresh and cooling against the skin and the car stereo pulsates with the sound of strong, electro pop music. Mothers, the illusive new album from Birmingham-born band Swim Deep, is perfect for this scenario, and ideal for any wind-down moment of the day. Their music achieves a dreamy mix of echo-like lyrics, unique instrumental bridges, and a sci-fi tinge, all slightly reminiscent of a nostalgic 80s pop vibe. Such a diverse mix of sounds is golden in today’s age and the band has managed to encompass their old and new influences to envisage an entire genre of their own.
You may have heard of the indie pop band through their associations with likeminded acts such as the Mystery Jets, or perhaps when they supported Two Door Cinema Club and Bastille in 2013. Their exclusive and charismatic music is not to be missed, and their new album (released on October 2nd 2015), takes a swift turn from the old sounds of their 2013 album Where the Heaven Are We. This previous album was heralded for its 90s indie vibe, but criticised as not being altogether ambitious. With this in mind, the band has incorporated the eclectic alternative sound of their past recordings with an identifiable ‘psych’ pop focus, and have achieved a dream-like equilibrium point, very different to their previous work.
The band has notoriously always recorded at the ICP studios in Brussels, and although starting the production of Mothers in The Church studios in London, they returned to finish the new material in Belgium. In particular, the track ‘To My Brother’ has already been acclaimed for its striking new direction away from the band’s previous work, employing an encapsulating combination of stronger drum beat and an ever-present electro sound. The change of sound and scene has been described by lead singer, Austin Williams, as though the band is going to be ‘shaving [their] heads and going to war’ with the new record. Notably, the other songs on the album, including ‘Nameste’ and ‘One Great Song Could Change The World’ transcend the same vibe, cocooning the new album in a sophisticated synergy. In creating this new sound, the band has succeeded in creating the feeling of ‘swimming deep’, plunging the audience into the depths of echoing bass and hard drums, producing a numbing, hazy sensation as though underwater. For this reason, the album is wholly refreshing and accessible, a true evasion of the indie pop scene today and a welcome change.
Molly Masters
