March 14, 2022 |
If you’re a twenty-something indie fan who spent your teens in Dr. Martens, stripy long sleeves and doused in glitter, it’s most likely you’re a fan of Swim Deep. The outfit, hailing from Birmingham, first made a name for themselves with their 2013 debut Where the Heaven Are We, a sunkissed record that spoke of falling in love at the beach, swooning over girls in bands and coming of age all whilst in a bit of a daze. Following this came 2015’s Mothers, their pop-y sound now equipped with an experimental bent. The record’s mixed success led to a rough patch for Swim Deep – members left and the band eventually split from Sony Records. It took till 2019 for Swim Deep to bounce back, with the release of their third album, Emerald Classics, lauded by critics as their most cohesive and sonically progressive outing yet.
Lodge a two-year global pandemic into the equation and the fivesome are finally back, this time with a collaborative EP. Dubbed Familiarise Yourself With Your Closest Exit, the five-tracker features Hatchie, Phoebe Green, Nell and Dept. “The concept was born out of a lifelong dream to write pop songs for massive artists,” says Austin Williams, Swim Deep’s lead singer. “I’ve always backed myself to write a no.1, but sometimes the songs I write don’t exactly suit Swim Deep or what I’d like to put out there. Sometimes the melodies I write are meant for more feminine vocals, or just generally a really good singer. So I set out writing with that in mind, and then some of them ended up working so well as Swim Deep songs, that featured artists we loved.”
Here we sit down with the band to discuss shroom trips, mad nights in Bangkok and the future of Swim Deep.
- How did you go about picking the collaborators for the EP?
“Well we’re not exactly Bieber, so it wasn’t like we had the pick of the crop, like i actually asked Beabadoobe to sing on “Big Green Apple”, I thought she’d have been perfect for it, her vocals are really unique and cool. That didn’t happen but I’m so glad it ended up being Nell who sang on it, we just kept the original scratch vocal she put down when I was recording the song in her bedroom, it was perfect. Hatchie was an obvious choice for me, I have always wanted to do a song with her, her music is my fave, it’s very much in line with Swim Deep’s vibe too, imo, except better. And Phoebe G came about after I wrote the song for her for a writing session with Dave McCracken. It ended up being very Swim Deep, and she took it somewhere I never could, so I asked if I could keep it lol.”
- What is the perfect song from your back catalogue to introduce people to Swim Deep’s sound?
“I’d like to say “King City”, or “She Changes The Weather”. I think “King City” because it’s so ballsy, and was the blueprint, we didn’t want to sound like any other guitar band around at the time and we didn’t. It reflects how ambitious we are. And then “SCTW” because it’s the most Swim Deep sound. Also, I’ve had people say it was used for both funerals and weddings, which hits me like a wrecking ball, and I’m so proud to have put something out that soundtracks such important and emotional stages of life.”
- What’s the wildest show you’ve ever played?
“We played Bangkok in an abandoned shopping mall. It was wild! We didn’t expect so many people, and behind us on stage there were people throwing paint up a big backdrop as we played, and there was just so much love from the crowd. Then we DJ’d at a bar after and the whole night was just nuts, but I’ll save those stories for the book! Benicàssim fest was also a big one, we went on at 1am expecting no one, and the crowd was full, with people holding up flares as if we were landing a plane. It was emotional.”
- What’s one must-have on your tour rider?
“Water and Tequila. It’s good to have a choice of which path you’re gunna take.”
- What’s your fondest memory of creating the EP?
“Hearing Phoebe’s vocals singing my melodies for the first time was so special. We sat down on the piano and played through it, and I had just never experienced something like that in music, it was kinda a dream come true to hear that. It really gave me a new much-needed confidence in my songwriting, I often doubt myself but hearing your songs transform into something you can only imagine is just magic.”
- What band/musician do you think has inspired you most?
“Kanye West. Other than the fact his music is the best, he is still one of the most influential and relevant artists in the world after 11 albums. I love that he is a total servant to his music, he pours everything into it, all his demons and angels, you get it all, warts and all. I don’t agree with some things he says and I get angry sometimes when I think he’s being a prick, but I also love that about him. I’m reaching for the popcorn, he’s unflappable.”
- If you had to change band names tomorrow, what would you pick instead?
“The Dusty Beans. It’s a gross name we coined for our alter ego band in rehearsal. When we do these mad long jams that sound like every terrible/amazing rock band. Honestly, some of the songs are wow, I sometimes think we’re doing it all wrong not becoming The Dusty Beans.”
- What’s the funniest gift a fan has given you guys?
“After a gig in a church in LA, some fans gave us some mushrooms, and it was funny because we took them in the morning and then went to Amoeba Records. I was stuck in the merch section for a good half hour thinking it was a rainforest. It took one look of an Aphex Twin record to really bring me out of it.”
- What’s one piece of advice you could tell yourselves when you were making your debut album?
“Enjoy every single moment. Take more photos. Stop smoking skunk because you’re about to experience your first panic attack. Take yourself more seriously as a quite good band. Rehearse more. Don’t listen to the bad reviews and h8rz, listen to the fans and people who know you. Strap in. Don’t cut that Lord Farquaad fringe a day before going to America for the first time. Or maybe do actually.”
- How do you plan on celebrating the release of the EP?
“We have a gig at the 100 club the night before it comes out, and it’s sold out, so it’s gunna be a party for sure. They’ll be a toast to the future of SD.”
Photography courtesy of Swim Deep. ‘Familiarise Yourself With Your Closest Exit’ is available to stream on all major platforms now.
