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Swim School

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Swim School are a Scottish three-piece indie rock band. Formed in Edinburgh in late 2018, the band initially comprised Alice Johnson and Lewis Bunting, before Bunting's schoolmate Matt Mitchell and their friend Nairn Milne joined the band. Mitchell and Milne later left the band, with Billy McMahon joining in June 2020. They have released the EPs Volume 1, Making Sense of It All, as well as Duality, and released their debut mixtape in April 2024, Seeing It Now.

Swim School
Swim School on stage in London, 2024
Swim School on stage in London, 2024
Background information
OriginEdinburgh, Scotland
Genres
Years active2019–present
LabelsLAB Records[1]
Members
  • Alice Johnson
  • Lewis Bunting
  • Billy McMahon
Past members
  • Matt Mitchell
  • Nairn Milne

History edit

2018-2020: Formation and early performances edit

Swim School were formed in late 2018;[2] Alice Johnson and Lewis Bunting met through their shared music course in college,[3] on which Johnson was the only woman.[4] Johnson told Bodega Social Club in May 2020 that she and Bunting had been a member of "a few" bands as part of their course, and that these bands had played cover versions.[5] Bunting later introduced Johnson to Matt Mitchell, who knew him from school;[3] Bunting and Mitchell had previously been in bands,[6] including one together. Nairn Milne later joined the band, who knew Bunting and Mitchell through a friend.[5] The band's debut single, "Sway", was released in February 2019,[7] with a second single, "Take You There", released the following June.[8]

"When I was on that stage that night, without any real experience performing in a band, I was probably the most nervous and most insecure I had ever been. I had never sung in front of anyone before. And just to add to my nerves and the pressure, there was this incredibly sexist guy right at the front saying these horrible, horrible things and shouting throughout. I was young; I had no idea how to deal with it. I didn't know what to do – do I kick him out or what? In the end I just stayed quiet. I played the whole set but at some points I was holding back the tears. I was proud of myself for that."

Johnson in 2020[4]

Their debut performance was in Galashiels,[4] took place in March 2019, and was a support slot for Indigo Velvet, another Edinburgh-based band.[2] Johnson told the Alloa Advertiser in October 2020 that their set had been marred by a "40-something stranger" heckling sexist abuse at Johnson before and during the performance, prompting her to struggle to hold back tears while performing and to break down after leaving.[4] Swim School spent around a year gigging; the COVID-19 pandemic caused the band to concentrate on writing. They met up again after the first lockdown, and invited Indigo Velvet's guitarist Billy McMahon along; after a period of him assisting with live streams, he was invited to join the band properly in June 2020.[3]

2021-present: Volume 1 and Making Sense of It All edit

The band released an EP, Volume 1, in 2021,[9] and then the single "Let Me Inside Your Head" that March.[10] They then released the single "Outside" in May 2021,[11] the first song they recorded without Milne,[12] and which was written about cutting toxic people out of their lives.[11] The following month, they released "Anyway" and announced their second EP, Making Sense of It All, which comprised tracks about Johnson's mental state over lockdown,[13] and was released in August 2021.[14] After releasing Making Sense of It All, Swim School spent a period gigging.[15]

2022-present: Duality and subsequent singles edit

Swim School became a three-piece in November 2022.[16] That month, they released the single "Kill You",[17] which Johnson had written the previous February[15] about being comfortable enough in a relationship to show quirks.[17] In February 2023, they announced their second EP Duality, which had been recorded at Narcissus Studios in London and produced by Iain Berryman, and took its title from the fact that it comprised love songs and angry songs;[15] they also released "Delirious", which Johnson had written in a fit of rage after suffering from constant misogyny from sound engineers during festival season.[18] A further single, "Don't Leave Me Behind", was released in April 2023,[19] with Duality released in June 2023.[20]

 
Swim School on stage in Brighton, 2023

Two weeks after Duality was released, the band re-released that album's track "Bored", a more positive derivative of "Delirious"; explaining their unusual release strategy to Metal, the band attributed the practice to wanting to surprise their fans.[21] In November 2023, Swim School and Nieve Ella supported Inhaler on their Cuts & Bruises tour.[22] A further Swim School single, "Give Me A Reason Why", was released in January 2024,[23] and later that month the band announced their "Seeing It Now" tour in April and May 2024,[24] followed by the released of their debut mixtape, Seeing It Now, featuring a cover of Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" and a new version of their earlier track "Anyway".[25]

Artistry edit

 
Swim School performing at the 2022 Great Escape Festival

The band used a May 2020 interview with Bodega Social Club in Nottingham to cite Jaws, Wolf Alice, Pale Waves, and Palace as influences,[5] a May 2021 Clout interview question of their "biggest influences" to mention Foals, Wolf Alice, The Cure, Slowdive, Ben Howard, Boards of Canada, and Paolo Nutini,[6] and a January 2024 interview with The Skinny to cite My Bloody Valentine, the Smashing Pumpkins and Slowdive. Johnson used the last of these to state that she had idolised Taylor Swift and Beyoncé growing up, and described the pair as "two very strong and powerful women who never let men hold them back or tell them what to do".[26] In May 2021,[27] the band performed a cover version of Swift's "Love Story" for a BBC live session after deciding to incorporate a cover into the set and rummaging through some Spotify playlists, with Johnson having been inspired by a grungy take on Bon Iver she had seen on Triple J; the following month, Andy Von Pip of Under the Radar noted that their rendition "turned a sweet, romantic optimistic pop song into a heavy dystopian doom rocker".[3]

Johnson additionally noted in a 2021 interview with Dork that Wolf Alice's lead singer Ellie Rowsell was her inspiration for being in a band, with Swim School using the interview to describe themselves as a "Tesco Value" version of that band,[28] and Bunting used an August 2021 interview with Guitar.com to note that he was a big Metallica fan growing up and wanted to be the band's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.[29] Writing in July 2021, NME described the band's works as indie pop, while Mala Mortensa of Alternative Press described "Let Me Inside Your Head"'s vibe as "expect[able] from a Halsey-fronted version of Nirvana"[10] and Skiddle described Johnson's vocals in January 2024 as having a "Hayley Williams-esque delivery".[30]

Awards and accolades edit

Lists edit

Publisher Listicle Year[a] Result Ref.
Dork "Hype List 2024" 2023 Placed [31]

Discography edit

Mixtapes edit

Title Details
Seeing It Now

Extended plays edit

List of EPs, with selected details
Title Details
Volume 1
  • Released: 8 January 2021[33]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Making Sense Of It All
  • Released: 4 March 2022[33]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Duality
  • Released: 1 June 2023[33]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
  • Label: LAB Records

Singles edit

Title Year Album Video director(s) Ref.
"Sway" 2019 Volume 1 — [8]
"Take You There" — [8]
"Let Me Inside Your Head" 2021 Making Sense Of It All — [10]
"Outside" — [11]
"Anyway" — [13]
"Kill You" 2022 Duality — [33]
"Delirious" 2023 — [33]
"Don't Leave Me Behind" — [33]
"Bored" Non-album single Rory Barnes [33][34]
"Give Me A Reason Why" 2024 Seeing It Now — [33]
"To Grow" Liam Beazley [33][35]

Tours edit

Headlining edit

  • Seeing It Now Tour (2024)[24]

Supporting edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

References edit

  1. ^ Farr, Jacob (10 July 2022). "Edinburgh music map launched to showcase the best venues and hotspots in the capital". Edinburgh Live. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Under the Radar: swim school". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Von Pip, Andy (25 June 2021). "Swim School on Expanding Their Sound During Lockdown and Their Upcoming Debut EP". Under The Radar. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Swim School's Alice Johnson will continue to battle sexism in the music industry". Alloa Advertiser. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Keirl, Sam (15 May 2020). "Interview: swim school". The Bodega. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Who TF are swim school?". Clout. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Edinburgh-native Swim School debut the joyous single 'Sway'". The Student. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Swim School". Sneaky Pete's. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Swim School play 'Independent Venue Week' gig at unusual location". Brighton and Hove News. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Mortensa, Mala (29 March 2021). "10 emerging Scottish bands who are innovating alternative music". Alternative Press. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Edinburgh's swim school release heavyweight angst-anthem "Outside"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Band Of The Week // SWIM SCHOOL". GIG GOER. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  13. ^ a b "swim school thrash out their vulnerable side on "Anyway" | Best Fit". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Swim School establish themselves as bold, brash, and bright on Making Sense Of It All". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Taylor, Sam (1 February 2023). "Swim School GET ANGRY TO KICK AGAINST THE SEXIST PRICKS WITH THEIR NEW RIGHTEOUS RAGER 'DELIRIOUS': "I'D HAD ENOUGH"". Dork. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  16. ^ Corrine, Brianna (28 November 2023). "A Conversation with Swim School: "At the end of the day, you're inspired by people."". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b Holden, Finlay (16 November 2022). "Edinburgh indie-rock trio swim school have returned with their vulnerable new single, 'kill you'". Dork. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  18. ^ Forstneger, Steve (1 February 2023). "Swim School's "Delirious" teaches how to bat lashes and give the finger". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  19. ^ Taylor, Sam (5 April 2023). "swim school have released a new single, and confirmed a London headline show". Dork. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  20. ^ "Swim School - Duality EP". Dork. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Swim School | English | Metal Magazine". metalmagazine.eu. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  22. ^ tessbowen (20 November 2023). "Live Review: Inhaler rock Barras". Brig Newspaper. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  23. ^ Murray, Robin (10 January 2024). "swim school's 'Give Me A Reason Why' Is An Illuminating Return | News". Clash. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Swim School HAVE ANNOUNCED A HEADLINE UK TOUR". Dork. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Swim School Have Released a New Mixtape EP, 'Seeing It Now'". Dork. 17 April 2024. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  26. ^ "The Skinny On... Swim School Q&A". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  27. ^ "BBC Introducing in Scotland, Swim School in Session". BBC Radio Scotland. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  28. ^ Holden, Finlay (23 August 2021). "Swim School: "BASICALLY, WE'RE TESCO VALUE WOLF ALICE"". Dork.
  29. ^ "Swim School on their debut EP, their love of Strymon pedals and opening up about mental health". Guitar.com | All Things Guitar. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  30. ^ "Women Rock! Day 2024: Female fronted bands to watch out for in 2024". Skiddle. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  31. ^ "INTRODUCING THE BUMPER END-OF-YEAR DOUBLE ISSUE OF DORK, FEATURING OUR ANNUAL NEW MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA, THE HYPE LIST". Dork. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  32. ^ "Seeing It Now, by swim school". LAB Records. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i "swim school Singles and EPs Discography". Spotify.
  34. ^ "swim school - BORED (Official Video)". YouTube. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  35. ^ "swim school - To Grow (Official Video)". YouTube. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  36. ^ @livejoy (16 February 2023). "ALL SUPPORTS ANNOUNCED for Lovejoy Inselaffe Tour '23!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 March 2024 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "Grandson - Electric Ballroom". Electric Ballroom. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  38. ^ @InhalerDublin (12 September 2023). "Very happy to announce our supports for our upcoming European and UK tour dates! Remaining tickets here: https://inhaler.band/tour/" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2024 – via Twitter.
  39. ^ @TheAmazons (7 November 2023). "Delighted to welcome Fiona Lee aboard this December, alongside the wonderful @weareswimschool ❤️‍🔥" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 April 2024 – via Twitter.
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