SWIMMING TAPES

Londoners Swimming Tapes describe themselves as purveyors of “dreamy guitar pop.” There’s a lot of that floating around at the minute, to the point where soporific, hazy, shoegaze-inspired indie is almost ubiquitous. Surely there isn’t a way you can mine the genre’s veins any more to produce a real gem of an idea?

Well, Swimming Tapes seem to have found a little something that lifts them above the general smoggy haze of their peers and into more divine territory. That’s no mean feat for a band who have only been in existence for a mere few months, so what’s their secret?

Much of what makes Swimming Tapes’ formula so appealing can be found in their debut track ‘Souvenirs’. The jangly guitars lend the song a real summery feel, not unlike the twang of Real Estate. But then layered over that is singer Robbie Reid’s nonchalant, laid-back vocals.

His almost aloof nature gives ‘Souvenirs’ a real melancholic edge, contrasting against the light-hearted indie and adding a wistful edge that draws you in.

The repeated refrain at the end of the chorus will get lodged in your brain and keep reminding you of Swimming Tapes’ infectious ditty, much like the ‘Souvenir’ they’re singing about.

Words by Eugenie Johnson

Tipped by Simon Pursehouse and Charlotte Holroyd