I’m quickly trying to type out this review, as it’s currently the middle of a cold Australian winter. No, that’s not an oxymoron, it’s bloody chilly. I need a much needed blast of summer, and I got that with Swimming Tapes’ debut album, Morningside.
The London-based Northern Irish five-piece make sunshine beam out of the speakers. Echoey guitars, soft, humble lyrics and a laidback attitude are just begging to be listened to with your eyes closed, snoozing in the sun.
Fans of Real Estate, EZTV and Public Access T.V. will find plenty to like about this album, with tracks like “It Get’s Old,” “See it Out” and “Silhouette” keeping the summer grooves going. Recorded semi-live, you can hear the band’s chemistry; they’re all in sync and letting the music flow.
Swimming Tapes clearly know what works and stick to it. All 11 tracks on this album sound similar but different enough to be interesting. You could almost call it summer shoegaze; music to just be carried away by in the sunshine.
The album closes with the delightful “In The New Year,” a track about longing for friends to return. When it finishes the album is just begging you to turn it back to side A and go round again.
Morningside is 35 minutes of summertime perfection, and—especially if you reside in the Southern Hemisphere right now—a welcome relief from the winter cold.
Score: 😎😎😎😎/ 5
Brendan is an avid record collector from Adelaide, Australia and the man behind the @ridges_and_grooves. There are few genres he won’t listen to. His search for the best album of all time through process of elimination continues.