Seven Quick Questions: Swim Team

Melbourne-based crew Swim Team will be making their way across the Tasman next week to play four New Zealand shows including an appearance at the infamous Woodcock Festival in Tauranga with their compatriots Cosmic Psychos. The garage pop four-piece are coming this way on the heels of releasing their new Holiday EP, which was smashed out over two days and conveys the sense of lo-fi fun the group are all about. Ahead of their visit we dropped the foursome a line to get to know them a little better...

1. So, for those who aren’t in the know, who is Swim Team and what kind of tunes do you make?

Swim Team is Esther, Krystal, Sammy and TJ - a bunch of pals who like to hang out and play music together in Melbourne, Australia. We have never been the best at describing our music style or genre but I guess its a mix of jangly guitars, harmonised vocals and funky bass lines with nod towards garage / pop music.

2. Tell us a little about how the team was assembled?

We started jamming together in the summer of '15 after Sam and Krystal decided to start a band together. Esther was recruited to play bass and TJ was asked to learn how to play drums. Things just kind of came together after Sam pre-emptively booked a show for us to play and we were forced to make up some songs!

3. What’s your favourite? Freestyle, Butterfly, Backstroke or Breaststroke?

It depends on the mood! Freestyle for speed, Breaststroke for leisure, Backstroke for contemplation and Butterfly for drowning.

4. You recently emerged from the studio from recording the Holiday EP. Tell us a little about that experience and about the sound of the record.

We jumped into the studio over two days and just recorded everything live. We thought that if we could smash out six songs in one weekend that we could have enough recorded material for an EP as our first release. Our friend Tom Hardisty was the mastermind behind getting the sound that we were trying to achieve. We wanted it to reflect our live sound, which is a bit lo fi and raw. There was no point us having a really polished sound that we wouldn't be able to replicate live, and that's not really our style anyway! The EP has been described as a collection of jangly, crunchy pop songs with inflections of 90s indie tunes.

5. Is your imminent tour going to be quite holiday-esque in nature? Or are you guys all business while on the road?

There's a little of both elements for us when it comes to touring. We're a pretty considerate group when it comes to band etiquette and we're well organised too, so there's definitely a factor of knowing we need to be certain places at a certain time and our priority is to play good shows! It's part of the fun though; kind of like you have your comrades and you are on a combined mission. That being said, Swim Team are definitely all about the good times and we love travelling together, meeting new people and making friends. There will definitely be a holiday-like factor in it for us, so if anybody is reading this and wants to pass on their hot tips for the best fish and chips around the North Island we would love to hear from you!

6. Tell us a little about your single ‘Are You Forgetting Something?’. What was it that the person was forgetting?

I think we all tend to forget things from time to time, especially as we get into a routine. Our everyday lives and relationships, work and even hobbies can sometimes begin to operate on autopilot making us out like a bunch of zombies just ambling along from one day to the next until we realise things have become stale. 'Are You Forgetting Something' urges the person to stop to think about what they're doing in these situations, and to reflect on investing more time and thought into whatever it is they've lost the spark for, or perhaps consider whether it even makes them happy anymore.

7. The video for ‘Are You Forgetting Something?’ heavily features candies and plastic creepy crawlies. What are your favourite sugary treats and crawling beasts?

Collectively, the almighty donut is Swim Team's official sweet treat. We don't think there could ever be a tastier, more aesthetically pleasing baked good in existence. As for the creepy crawlies, I personally prefer the fake plastic kind like the ones we used in the video.

Swim Team

Thursday 16th Feb,Valhalla, Wellington, w/ HEX + Tidal Rave
Friday 17th Feb, Whammy, Auckland w/ Cosmic Psychos, HEX, Bloodbags + The Beths
Saturday 18th Feb, Woodcock 2017: T.M.S Sells Out,Tauranga
Sunday 19th Feb, Summer In The Square, Aotea Square, Auckland

Tickets to the Valhalla and Whammy shows available HERE at UTR