Swimming (band)

Swimming
Background information
Origin Nottingham, UK
Genres Art rock, synthpop, ambient, neo-prog
Years active 2004–present
Labels Tummy Touch Records (UK / US)
EVR Records (US)
Colourschool Records (UK)
Izumi Records (UK)
Website swimmingband.com
Members John Sampson
Peter Sampson aka The Petebox
Jonathon Spittlehouse
Blake Pearson
Sam Potter

Swimming is an art rock band formed in Nottingham, UK[1] known for their genre-straddling[2] output that unites a fluid and experimental sonic approach into a sound which is uniformly uplifting.[3] They have releases on their own Colourschool Records, EVR Records and are currently signed to Tummy Touch Records

History

Swimming as a coherent experimental project emerged in 2004 and released debut E.P, Pacific Title[4] on Izumi Records in 2006. The second E.P. Primary [5] was released, again through Izumi Records, in 2008 as well as two singles, Panthalassa and Tigershark that got their first national airplay on BBC Radio1, XFM and heavy rotation on NME Radio. The band recruited a second guitarist, Jonathon "Joff" Spittlehouse and bass player Blake Pearson (aka G KOKO) and supported Chairlift, Pivot (PVT), Shearwater as well as their first festival appearances at Glastonbury and a world first fully binaural, headphone only gig with sonic artist Dallas Simpson at Dot to Dot Festival 2008.[6]

The band's self-produced debut album The Fireflow Trade came out in May 2009 on their own label, Colourschool Records. Having a sound that proved hard to define, the band evoked comparisons to well over 50 different artists in the press around the release of the album.[3] The Fireflow Trade was included in many best of-2009 lists including number 21 in The Fly Magazine.[7]

The band toured Europe in Oct 2010 and signed to Tim 'Love' Lee's Tummy Touch Records the same month.[8] The track 'Sun In The Island' was the first single off their second full length album, Ecstatics International and was chosen to be the first release on New York's East Village Radio's new singles club, EVRRecords in March 2011.[9]

Swimming's Ecstatics International was released in Nov 2011 in the UK to more critical acclaim[10] through Tummy Touch Records described as "...a near faultless, cliché-free exploration of contemporary synth pop"[11] and made it into the top 10 debut's of the year in Clash Magazine.[12]

In 2013 Swimming have produced the soundtrack[13] to the short film Beyond The Scars, a short film about surfing in the exposed, freezing corners of the North Sea. It was commissioned by and screened on Channel 4's Shooting Gallery, Feb 2013[14]

Binaural Recordings

Swimming and Dallas Simpson have collaborated on a series of live recordings and performances. Many of these are available online as videos and in 2011 they produced a short documentary with award-winning director Simon Ellis called “Swimming: Beach”[15] which premiered at the 8th Berlin International Directors Lounge in February 2012.[16] The band have recorded in various outdoor environments to match the songs they record. They have also given select live performances to diverse audiences from cinemas, art spaces, festivals and more conventional venues.[17] This setup has picked up the attention of industry ‘sound recording bible,’ Sound On Sound magazine (circulation 18’000) who ran an in-depth feature in their Feb 2012 issue.[17]

Binaural Recordings /Films:

2007: "Swimming: Woods" - remix of Tigershark remix at Ambergate, Derbyshire, UK
2009: "Swimming: Skyspace" live version of Sun In The Island in Skyspace, Kielder, Northumberland, UK
2011 "Swimming: Beach" Documentary of binaural recordings at Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland, UK

Associated Acts

WeShowUpOnRadar

Thepetebox The Petebox

G KOKO - artist / photographer /designer

Discography

Albums

Date of Release Title Tracklisting Label
7 Nov 2011 "Ecstatics International" 1. Neutron Wireless Crystal
2. In Ecstatics
3. Mining For Diamonds
4. Kid Global
5. I Do (Come True)
6. Sun In The Island
7. Fire At Blue Point
8. Beat Beat of Your Heartbeat
9. Classic 1001 Dreams
10. All Things Made New (Stand)
11. Team Jetsream
Tummy Touch Records
11 May 2009 "The Fireflow Trade" 1. Panthalassa
2. Tigershark
3. 9:Skopen
4. Ease Down The River
5. Crash The Current
6. Crescents
7. Eagle Aviary
8. All In Time To The Shoreline
9. The Fireflow Trade		 Colourschool Records

Singles/EP'S

Date of Release Title Label
5 March 2006 "Pacific Title EP" Izumi Records
15 June 2007 "Tigershark" Izumi Records
9 Sep 2008 "Primary" EP Izumi Records
15 June 2009 "Panthalassa" / "Crash The Current" Colourschool Records
7 March 2011 "Sun In the Island" EVR Records
17 October 2011 "Neutron Wireless Crystal" Tummy Touch
14 May 2012 "All Things Made New (Stand)" Tummy Touch

Previous Members

Andrew Wright (Keys / Samples/ Vox)
Benjamin Hallatt (Founder member / various instruments)
Alex Pakpour Tabrisi
Amusement Parks on Fire Michael Feerick (occasional live drums)

References

  1. ↑ , Bearded Live Review
  2. ↑ [spotify:artist:3lDhMdDnZgr0ASn7Lpnyex]
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 , The Guardian New Band of the Day
  4. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/release/966016
  5. ↑ , Music Week News
  6. ↑ , Drowned In Sound DTD 08 Review
  7. ↑ The Fly Magazine Best of 2009
  8. ↑ M-Music Spotlight
  9. ↑ East Village Radio News
  10. ↑ http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16655/reviews/4144039
  11. ↑ http://thefourohfive.com/review/article/swimming-ecstatics-international
  12. ↑ Clash Magazine Best Debut's of 2011
  13. ↑ https://soundcloud.com/swimming/swimming-beyond-the-scars
  14. ↑ http://www.lolacovefilms.com/#/gabe-davies/4550318611
  15. ↑ Bubtowers Official Post
  16. ↑ Directors Lounge, Berlin 2012
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 SOS Preview Online

External links

Official website | http://www.swimmingband.com/