Swimming (band)

Swimming is an English art rock band formed in Nottingham, England,[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 Tummy Touch Records

Swimming
Background information
OriginNottingham, England, UK
GenresArt rock, synthpop, ambient, neo-prog
Years active2004–2013
LabelsTummy Touch Records (UK / US)
EVR Records (US)
Colourschool Records (UK)
Izumi Records (UK)
Websiteswimmingband.com
MembersJohn Sampson
Peter Sampson aka The Petebox
Jonathon Spittlehouse
Blake Pearson
Sam Potter

History

Swimming as a coherent experimental project emerged in 2004 as a result of previous years of dedicated writing sessions between John Sampson and Benjamin Hallatt. The duo developed the band's fluid and diverse conceptual style in writing and producing the material heard on debut EP, Pacific Title.[4] The E.P. was completed with John's brother, Peter, on drums and Andrew Wright. Pacific Title was released on Izumi Records in 2006. Hallatt left the 'live' band line up shortly after the E.P.'s completion but contributed to Swimming's 'Primary' EP in 2008 and debut album, 'The Fireflow Trade' in 2009. The new incarnation of Swimming, set about developing the fluid conceptual groundwork in an increasingly 'song based', direction,[5] gaining praise in the popular indie music and mainstream press for their original approach.[3] The second EP Primary[6] 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.[7]

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.[8]

The band toured Europe in Oct 2010 and signed to Tim 'Love' Lee's Tummy Touch Records the same month.[9] The track "Sun In The Island" was the first single off their second 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.[10]

Ecstatics International was released in November 2011 in the UK to more critical acclaim[11] through Tummy Touch Records; described as "...a near faultless, cliché-free exploration of contemporary synth pop"[12] and made it into the top 10 debuts of the year in Clash Magazine.[13]

In 2013, Swimming have produced the soundtrack[14] to the short film, Beyond The Scars,[15] about surfing in the exposed, freezing corners of the North Sea. It was commissioned by and screened on Channel 4's Shooting Gallery, in February 2013.[16]

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[17] which premiered at the 8th Berlin International Directors Lounge in February 2012.[18] 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.[19] This setup has picked up the attention of Sound On Sound magazine, who ran an in-depth feature in their February 2012 issue.[19]

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

Swimming's core original member, Benjamin Hallatt, has produced a wealth of minimalist abstracted sound work independently of his time with the Swimming project. Documented works date back to 2004 with an obscure 7" vinyl pressing under the moniker SCKE// with further works and live performances dating to 2015 with various solo projects and collaborations.[20] Notably in early 2015, Hallatt supported Russell Haswell and Painjerk on a rare collaborative performance,[21] as well as accompanying Rudolf Eber on the 2015 Crater Lake Festival bill.[22]

Discography

Albums
Date of Release Title Track listing Label
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
7 November 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

Singles/EPs
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 (keyboards / samples/ voices)
  • Benjamin Hallatt (Founder member / various instruments)
  • Alex Pakpour Tabrisi
  • Michael Feerick (occasional live drums)

References
  1. "Love Inks / Swimming / Hi-Fiction Science @ The Thekla, Bristol 21.09.11". Beardedmagazine.com.
  3. Lester, Paul (24 January 2011). "New band of the day – No 952: Swimming". Theguardian.com.
  4. "Swimming - Pacific Title". Discogs.com.
  7. "Dot To Dot 2008: the DiS review". DrownedInSound.com.
  11. "Album Review: Swimming - Ecstatics International". DrownedInSound.com.
  14. "Swimming - "Beyond The Scars" Soundtrack (Edit)". Soundcloud.com.
  16. "Loading..." Lolacovefilms.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015.
  18. "#DLatHome, the Directors Lounge online screening". Directorslounge.net.
  19. "Dallas Simpson & Swimming: The Binaural Gig". Soundonsound.com.
  20. "Benjamin Hallatt". Widowsofeurope.com.
  21. "Rammel Club #60 -- Thu 15 Jan 2015PAIN JERK & RUSSELL HASWELL ⁞ KAY HILL ⁞ COLOSSLOTH". Rammelclub.org.
  22. "crater lake festival 2015". Radiofreemidwich.wordpress.com. 18 March 2015.
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