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Swimming (band)

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Swimming (band), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 30 November 20258 sources
Swimming
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded2004
FounderJohn Sampson, Benjamin Hallatt
Headquarters
Nottingham
,
England
ProductsMusic albums, singles, EPs

Swimming was an English art rock ensemble originating from Nottingham, England,[1] recognized for their genre-blendingCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name style that fused an experimental and fluid sound into an uplifting musical experience.[2] Their releases appeared on their own Colourschool Records, as well as EVR Records and Tummy Touch Records.

History

Formed in 2004, Swimming began as a collaboration between John Sampson and Benjamin Hallatt. The pair crafted the band’s eclectic and flowing sound on their initial EP, Pacific Title.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The lineup was completed by John's brother Pete on drums and Andrew Wright handling keyboards,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name with Pacific Title issued through Izumi Records in 2006. Although Hallatt departed from the touring group soon after, he remained involved in the creation of the 2008 Primary EP and the 2009 debut album, The Fireflow Trade. The band evolved towards a more structured, song-oriented approach,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name earning acclaim across both indie circles and mainstream media.[2]

The Primary EP[3] appeared in 2008 via Izumi Records, accompanied by singles "Panthalassa" and "Tigershark," which garnered airplay on national stations including BBC Radio 1, XFM, and NME Radio. The ensemble expanded to include guitarist Jonathon "Joff" Spittlehouse and bassist Blake Pearson (also known as G KOKO). They opened for groups such as Chairlift and Pivot (PVT), performed at Glastonbury Festival, and delivered a groundbreaking binaural headphone-only performance at the Dot to Dot Festival in 2008.[4]

Their self-produced first album, The Fireflow Trade, was released in May 2009 under Colourschool Records. The band's elusive sonic identity led to comparisons with over fifty different artists,[2] while the album secured the 21st spot in The Fly Magazine’s top albums of 2009.[5]

In October 2010, Swimming embarked on a European tour and signed a deal with Tim 'Love' Lee’s Tummy Touch Records.[6] The track "Sun In The Island," taken from their sophomore album Ecstatics International, marked the inaugural release for New York-based East Village Radio’s singles club, EVRRecords, in March 2011.[7]

Released in November 2011 across the UK, Ecstatics International received widespread critical praise,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name described as "...an almost flawless, cliché-free journey through modern synth pop,"Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and was listed among the year’s top ten debut albums by Clash Magazine.[8]

In 2013, Swimming composed the soundtrackCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name for the short film Beyond The Scars, which explores North Sea surfing. This project was commissioned by Channel 4's Shooting Gallery and aired in February 2013.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Binaural Recordings

Swimming collaborated extensively with Dallas Simpson on live recordings and performances, many of which are accessible online. In 2011, they created a short documentary titled Swimming: Beach with award-winning director Simon Ellis, premiering at the 8th Berlin International Directors Lounge in February 2012. The band often records in natural outdoor settings to enhance their music's atmosphere and has performed live in cinemas, galleries, festivals, and traditional venues. This inventive method drew attention from Sound On Sound magazine’s February 2012 edition.

Binaural Recordings/Films:

2007: "Swimming: Woods" – Tigershark remix recorded at Ambergate, Derbyshire, UK
2009: "Swimming: Skyspace" – live rendition of Sun In The Island at Skyspace, Kielder, Northumberland, UK
2011: "Swimming: Beach" – documentary capturing binaural recordings at Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland, UK

Associated acts

Benjamin Hallatt, the principal figure behind Swimming, has an extensive background in minimalist abstract soundscapes dating back to 2004, releasing work under the name SCKE//. His individual projects and joint ventures extended until 2015, highlighted by a rare live collaboration supporting Russell Haswell and Painjerk, as well as performing with Rudolf Eber at the 2015 Crater Lake Festival.

Before rejoining them after ten years, keyboardist Andrew Wright was a guitarist for Nottingham’s indie rock group Panchiko.

Sam Potter, who plays keyboards, was previously a member of Late of the Pier, a band from Castle Donington, prior to his involvement with Swimming.

Albums

Release Date Album Title Tracks Record 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

Release Date Title Label
5 March 2006 "Pacific Title EP" Izumi Records
15 June 2007 "Tigershark" Izumi Records
9 September 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

Current members

Former members

  • Alex Tabrizi (bass)
  • Benjamin "Ben" Hallatt (founding member, guitar, various instruments)
  • Andrew Wright (keyboards, sampler, vocals)

Touring members

  • Michael Feerick (drums)
  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Bearded
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GuardianNBOTD
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Music Week
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named DottoDot2008
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named TheFly
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named M-Music
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EVR
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Clash
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