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Swim Deep

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Swim Deep
Swim Deep in 2015/16. Left to right: James Balmont, Zachary Robinson, Austin Williams, Tom Higgins, Cavan McCarthy
Swim Deep in 2015/16. Left to right: James Balmont, Zachary Robinson, Austin Williams, Tom Higgins, Cavan McCarthy
Background information
OriginBirmingham, England
Genres
Years active2011 (2011)–present
Labels
Members
  • Austin Williams
  • Cavan McCarthy
  • James Balmont
  • Robbie Wood
  • Thomas "Tomaski" Fiquet
Past members
  • Wolfgang J. Harte
  • Zachary Robinson
  • Tom Higgins

Swim Deep are a British indie pop band formed in Birmingham, England. The band currently consists of Austin Williams (vocals), Cavan McCarthy (bass), James Balmont (keyboards), Robbie Wood (guitar), and Thomas Fiquet (drums).[1][2]

Swim Deep were formed in 2011 by Williams, Higgins, and Wolfgang J. Harte. Harte left the band in late 2012 and was replaced by Cavan McCarthy. James Balmont joined the band as a live member in 2013 and became a full member the next year. In 2018, it was confirmed Zachary Robinson (drums) and Tom Higgins (guitar) had left the band ahead of recording their third album. Thomas Fiquet (drums) and Robbie Wood (guitar) joined the band for the recording of their third album, 'Emerald Classics'. Swim Deep have been identified as part of the emerging Digbeth-based B-Town scene.[3]

In late 2012, in Brussels, the band began to record what would later become their debut album, Where the Heaven Are We.[4] Where the Heaven Are We was released on 5 August 2013. The band released their second album, Mothers, on 2 October 2015. After a line-up change, they released their third album, Emerald Classics, on 4 October 2019.

History

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2010-2012: Formation and record deal

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Swim Deep was formed in 2010 by Austin Williams, Tom Higgins, and Wolfgang J. Harte. The band went through multiple drummers until they eventually recruited Zachary Robinson, who, at the time, was playing in a band called Cajole Cajole. On the subject, Austin said, "We thought it was a long shot but we’d just lost another drummer so we asked Zach if he wanted to join our band, that was one of the best things that happened, to be honest."[5] After a few months, Harte announced that he was leaving the band. The band played as a three piece until they recruited Cavan McCarthy, a merchandise seller from a fellow Birmingham band, Peace.[6] The band released two demos, "Isla Vista" and "Santa Maria," on SoundCloud in 2011.[7]

In 2012, Swim Deep signed with Chess Club/RCA and released their debut single, "King City," in May 2012. After a UK tour with Spector in November and December 2012, the band went to Brussels to record their debut album with producer Charlie Hugall. They released their second single, "Honey," in November. NME's review of "Honey" said that "the best bits of the Birmingham mob’s latest cut have the pull of a star-spangled whirlpool that’ll suck you back into the late ’80s."[8]

2013: Where the Heaven Are We

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Swim Deep performing in Birmingham, 2013

The band accompanied Two Door Cinema Club during their early 2013 UK tour.[9] On 3 February 2013, a video was released for their next single, "The Sea".[10] The single was released the month after on 7" vinyl and download, backed with a cover of "Down by the Seaside". On 10 May 2013, they released their fourth single, "She Changes the Weather", along with an EP of the same name.[11]

On 29 July 2013, Swim Deep's debut album, Where the Heaven Are We, was released.[12] Where The Heaven Are We received mainly positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 72.[13] NME and The Guardian both rated the album three out of five stars. The Guardian's Michael Hann commented that "Where the Heaven Are We is a pleasant wander through the byways of early-90s indie styles that doesn't ever really assert itself terribly strongly".[14] NME's Barry Nicolson said, "the dreamy, detached sneer of the vocals, the lolloping XXL basslines, all that unwashed hair… Some scenes come roaring out of the traps; B-Town seemed to roll out of bed, insular and uncontrived, smirking at its own in-jokes".[15]

2014-2017: Mothers

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Following tours throughout 2013 to support their debut album, the band began recording their second album in London in September 2014. In December, they returned to Brussels to continue their progress. They finished recording in January 2015. They released "To My Brother", the first single from the second record, in February. "To My Brother" was noted by critics for its marked change in direction, with many picking up on the unexpected influence of acid house music.[16][17] Speaking to DIY Magazine, Austin addressed the band's dramatic new direction: "I feel like we’re all shaving our heads and going to war with this record."[18] The second single from the album, "One Great Song and I Could Change the World", was released in April 2015.

In June 2015, the band announced Mothers, their sophomore album, would be released 19 September, but later was delayed until 2 October 2015.[19][20] Mothers, heavily influenced by acid house and techno, received positive reviews from critics, with a Metacritic score of 79.[20][21] NME's Rhian Daly described "Namaste" as "a great big bolt of pop that’s impossible to ignore".[22] DIY Magazine's Stephen Ackroyd said that "Fueiho Boogie" "explodes time and time again into increasingly more ridiculous krautrock techno extravaganzas."[23] In December 2015, Swim Deep toured North America with The 1975.[24]

2018-2019: Emerald Classics

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Swim Deep confirmed they were recording their third album in Margate in June 2018 titled, Emerald Classics, in reference of a pub in Birmingham called The Emerald.[25] The band later announced the departures of long-serving members Zachary Robinson and Tom Higgins in a statement. Captioning a photograph of a new-look Swim Deep on the beach, they said: "We’re off to a studio by the sea to finally finish the album we’ve been dreaming of our whole lives and we’re so ready to share it with you."

They played their first show of the year in Jakarta, Indonesia in September 2018, performing two new songs titled "To Feel Good" and "Sail Away, Say Goodbye". The songs were later included in their third album. They performed their first gig in the UK at Dalston venue Birthdays on 12 September 2018, and later headlined Academy 2 Manchester as part of Neighbourhood Festival. Both UK comeback shows were well-received. The band played their first hometown show in Birmingham for three years on 4 November, playing an in-store show at the Dr Martens store in Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre. In February 2019, they performed a sold-out show at Guildford Boileroom for Independent Venue Week.

The band returned with new single "To Feel Good" in May 2019.[26] They then performed three shows in Birmingham at The Sunflower Lounge as part of a residency in June 2019. On 4 October 2019, they released their third album, Emerald Classics. It was followed by a UK headline tour and a series of shows in Thailand and mainland China.

2020-2021: Familiarise Yourself with Your Closest Exit EP

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On 5 November 2021, Swim Deep released "On the Floor" which featured singer Phoebe Green. It is the lead single off their collaborative EP, Familiarise Yourself with Your Closest Exit. It was released on 11 March 2022.[27] The EP contains five tracks that featured other artists, Australian singer-songwriter Hatchie and Thai pop duo Dept, as well as Williams' fiancée, Nell Power.[27][28][29] Written during lockdown, Williams described the EP as "shoegazey, but like The 1975 [rather than] a '90s throwback".[30]

On 1 September 2022, the band announced a UK headline tour, alongside the release of a stand-alone single, "Little Blue".[31]

2024: Theres A Big Star Outside

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On 7 June 2024 the band released their 4th studio album, There's A Big Star Outside via Submarine Cat Records.[32] Produced by Bill Ryder-Jones, their 4th album gained critical acclaim via Dork Magazine, DIY Magazine, Le Monde and BBC Radio 6.[33] Frontman Austin Williams declared the new direction as "a lot more sensitive and a lot more vulnerable".[34]

Musical style

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The band's musical style has been described as "melodic, guitar-based rock that belies the influence of '80s dream pop and '90s shoegaze."[35] The band's debut album featured an indie pop sound, with influences from bands such as Ride and the Stone Roses, as well as from baggy, trip hop and new wave genres.[36][37] Nevertheless, the band transitioned to a psychedelic pop sound on their second album, Mothers, informed by acid house, Balearic beat, gospel music and Motorik rhythms.[35][38]

Members

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Current

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  • Austin Williams - vocals, guitar, sitar, keyboards, synthesizer, organ, piano, xylophone, percussion (2010–present)
  • Cavan McCarthy - bass guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals (2012–present)
  • James Balmont - keyboards, synthesizer, keytar, piano, percussion, backing vocals (touring member 2013-2014, full member 2014–present)
  • Robbie Wood - guitar, keyboard, backing vocals (2018–present)[39]
  • Thomas "Tomaski" Fiquet - drums, backing vocals (2018–present)[25]

Former

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  • James "Wolfgang" Harte - bass guitar, backing vocals (2010–2012)
  • Tom Higgins - guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals (2010–2018)[40]
  • Zachary Robinson - drums, percussion, keyboard, synthesizer, backing vocals (2011–2018)[40]
  • Johnny Aries - keyboards (2013) (touring member)

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title UK Albums Chart[41]
2013 Where the Heaven Are We
  • Released: 5 August 2013
  • Format: CD, LP, and digital download
 20
2015 Mothers
  • Released: 2 October 2015
  • Format: CD, LP, and digital download
 55
2019 Emerald Classics
  • Released: 4 October 2019
  • Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 —
2024 There's a Big Star Outside
  • Released: 7 June 2024
  • Format: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 —

EPs

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Year Title
2013 She Changes the Weather
  • Released: 10 May 2013
  • Format: CD, digital download
Sun On My Back
  • Released: 15 May 2013
  • Format: CD
  • Released in Japan Only
2022 Familiarise Yourself with Your Closest Exit
  • Released: 11 March 2022
  • Format: LP,[42] digital download

Singles

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Title Year Album
"King City"
 2012 Where the Heaven Are We
"Honey"
"The Sea" 2013
"She Changes the Weather"
"King City" (re-release)
"To My Brother" 2015 Mothers
"One Great Song and I Could Change the World"
"Grand Affection"
"Namaste"
"To Feel Good" 2019 Emerald Classics
"Sail Away, Say Goodbye"
"Happy as Larrie (Edit)" 2020
"On the Floor" (featuring Phoebe Green) 2021 Familiarise Yourself with Your Closest Exit EP
"Worlds Unluckiest Guy" (featuring Hatchie) 2022
"Big Green Apple" (featuring Nell Power)
"Good News" (featuring Dept)
"Little Blue" Non-album single

References

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  1. ^ Brown, Emma (22 March 2013). "Discovery: Swim Deep". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  2. ^ Milton, Jamie (26 September 2015). "SWIM DEEP: SCREAM IF YOU WANNA GO FASTER". DIY Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  3. ^ King, Alison (13 October 2012). "Forget Madchester, it's all about the B-Town scene". The Independent. Independent News and Media. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Swim Deep to release debut album 'Where The Heaven Are We' in July". NME. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  5. ^ "BRITWEEK WITH NEW BUILD (HOT CHIP / LCD SOUNDSYSTEM)". The Regent Theater. n.d. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Swim Deep about". Swim Deep. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  7. ^ "SWIM DEEP soundcloud". Swim Deep. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Swim Deep – 'Honey' review". NME.com. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  9. ^ Haley, Ricky (31 December 2012). "Swim Deep supporting Two Door Cinema Club". Blacklight Tours LTD. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Swim Deep - The Sea". YouTube. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  11. ^ Bychawski, Adam (21 March 2013). "Swim Deep to release debut album 'Where The Heaven Are We' in July". NME. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  12. ^ Nicolson, Barry (25 July 2013). "Review: Swim Deep - 'Where The Heaven Are We'". NME. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Where the Heaven Are We by Swim Deep Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic.com. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  14. ^ Hann, Michael (August 2013). "Swim Deep: Where The Heaven Are We? - review". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Nicolson, Barry (25 July 2013). "Swim Deep - 'Where the Heaven Are We'". NME.
  16. ^ Gibsone, Harriet (11 February 2015). "The playlist: indie – Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Swim Deep, Gaz Coombes and more". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  17. ^ Murray, Robin (10 February 2015). "Listen: Swim Deep - 'To My Brother'". Clash. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  18. ^ Milton, Jamie (9 February 2015). "Swim Deep return with 'To My Brother' single, new UK dates". DIY. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  19. ^ "Swim Deep announce details of second album 'Mothers'". NME. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  20. ^ a b Daly, Rhian (24 September 2015). "Review: Swim Deep - 'Mothers'". NME. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  21. ^ WolfLambert. "Mothers by Swim Deep Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  22. ^ Daly, Rhian (12 August 2015). "Swim Deep's New Single "Namaste" Is A Great Big Bolt Of Pop Fun". NME. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  23. ^ Ackroyd, Stephen (2 October 2015). "Album Review: Swim Deep - Mothers". DIY Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  24. ^ Morgan Britton, Luke (5 July 2015). "The 1975 and Swim Deep to tour the US together". NME. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  25. ^ a b "Austin Williams On Swim Deep's Return | Wonderland Magazine". 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  26. ^ Rodger, James (29 May 2019). "Swim Deep return with incredible new single To Feel Good and announce third album Emerald Classics". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  27. ^ a b Ackroyd, Stephen (15 February 2022). "Swim Deep have shared a brand new sun-kissed hit, 'Big Green Apple'". DORK. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  28. ^ Peters, Daniel (17 January 2022). "Swim Deep team up with Hatchie for new single 'World's Unluckiest Guy'". NME. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  29. ^ "SWIM DEEP TEAM UP WITH THAI DUO DEPT FOR 'GOOD NEWS'". DIY. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  30. ^ Daly, Rhian (5 November 2021). "Swim Deep tell us about their cinematic new single 'On The Floor', featuring Phoebe Green". NME. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  31. ^ Reilly, Nick (1 September 2022). "Swim Deep return with soaring new track 'Little Blue'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  32. ^ Skinner, Tom (21 February 2024). "Swim Deep announce new album 'There's A Big Star Outside', produced by Bill Ryder-Jones". NME. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  33. ^ Harrison, Dan. "Swim Deep - There's A Big Star Outside". Dork (magazine). Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  34. ^ Daly, Rhian (2 May 2024). "Swim Deep and Bill Ryder-Jones tell us about new single 'Very Heaven' and their "brave" new album". NME. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  35. ^ a b Collar, Matt. "Swim Deep biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  36. ^ Collar, Matt. "Swim - Deep Mothers". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  37. ^ "Swim Deep Frontman Austin Williams' Track-By-Track Guide To Acid-Drenched New Album 'Mothers'". NME. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  38. ^ Mokoena, Tshepo (1 October 2015). "Swim Deep: Mothers review – baggy indie kids embrace psych-pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  39. ^ SWIM DEEP ≈ (3 July 2018). "SWIM DEEP ≈ on Twitter: "Robbie - he's one of us"". Twitter.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  40. ^ a b SWIM DEEP ≈ (2 July 2018). "SWIM DEEP ≈ on Twitter: "It's happenin x"". Twitter.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  41. ^ "SWIM DEEP | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  42. ^ "Familiarise Yourself with Your Closest Exit by Swim Deep". Bandcamp. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
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