swim school Release EP "Seeing it Now"

Scottish powerhouse Swim School have released their latest EP, "Seeing it Now," establishing themselves as one of the breakthrough bands of the year. Released by LAB Records, "Seeing it Now" is the culmination of the work they have put on for the last few months, releasing singles and headlining their own UK tour.

The first song of the track is "Seeing it Now", a song that encapsulates their sound, talking about heartfelt matters and the sentiment that comes with growth.

Combining melodic hooks with raw emotion, "Give Me A Reason" reflects the intensity of Swim School's sound. Lead singer Alice Johnson's powerful vocals blend with an enveloping instrumental to finish in an explosion of guitar and vocal cries before delving into the ballad "To Grow". This slow track is a heart-crunching slow track that explores themes of homesickness and letting go. The vocals shine through the song, feeling like a warm hug.

Then comes "See Red - from Studio 456". I had the pleasure of seeing them perform this one live in 2022 in Glasgow, and I'm glad to see the Studio 456 version captures part of that fierce edginess they perform it with on stage. The original See Red comes from the 2022 EP "making sense of it all" but, although not new, it is a good addition to the new EP.

They close with a rendition to Pixies with "Where Is My Mind / You And Me Song (Live from the stairwell)", a beautiful cover that sounds raw and haunting at the same time.

Score: 3.5 / 5 stars