Safe To Swim: This Is Only Just The Beginning
- Kirsty Bennet
- Aug 22, 2017
- 4 min read
Safe To Swim have certainly been making waves (I'm sorry) in the Brighton music scene this year and it's clear why: they've managed to create a unique sound by channelling classic grunge and feel-good indie. This 4-piece clearly have a lot more in store and I can't wait to hear it. I caught up with frontman Jim Filippides to find out more about Brighton influences, the band's progression and what's coming up next:
Image courtesy of Dan Hills, Project 92
Firstly, let's get to know you – introduce yourselves, who does what in the band?
We are made up of George Ingledew (Bass), George Rawlings (Guitar), Joe Dennis (Drums) and myself (Jim Filippides) on vocals.
Could you give us an insight into how you all met and Safe To Swim formed?
We met at university in Brighton where we studied music. All the way back in 2013 I was asked to get a group together for a project so I asked around on Facebook and ended up with a band that would turn out to be Safe To Swim. After a successful project, one rehearsal lead to another and now here we are today! Though Ingledew actually came a little bit later to the party after our original bassist left last year.
Would you say being based in Brighton has influenced your sound at all?
Brighton certainly attracts the creative types. Because of this we have no shortage of music and art surrounding us. I definitely found this great when I first moved down, before we met and when I first took up songwriting seriously. I'd go out with all my friends and see loads of cool bands that were doing exactly what I wanted to be doing. I found this and a lot of the music I was experiencing very inspiring. At that time an almost new wave of grunge was at it's peak in the city, largely fuelled by bands like Tiger Cub and Demob Happy. So a lot of our early stuff (now nowhere to be heard on the internet) was quite feedback drenched and riff heavy. Though we still like to keep some of those elements in the music we're currently releasing.
What’s been your top album of 2017 so far?
That's a bit of a tricky question. I'm not much of an album person when it comes to new music so I haven't actually heard a lot of albums released this year from start to finish. From what I've heard in its entirety so far, I've really dug 'Popular Manipulations' by The Districts. Close contenders would be Cigarettes After Sex, The Big Moon and Sundara Karma's debuts. Then again I'm still yet to hear the new Everything Everything album so that could all change...
What are the stories behind your singles ‘Struggling’ and ‘Pretty In The Morning’? What was your songwriting process?
'Struggling' is about the slow breakdown of an unhealthy and fiercely self destructive relationship I was in at the start of 2016. 'Pretty In The Morning' is about the feeling of regret one can feel first thing in the morning once you've remembered what happened the night before... My writing process varies from time to time but it really depends on the song. Normally my initial ideas will come to me when I'm on the go and I'll beatbox the melodies and rhythms into my phone. Sometimes I'll write initial lyrics and ideas into my phone notes if it all comes to me at once. Later I'll actually sit at my desk, write a first draft of lyrics and map out a proper structure before recording a little demo if it's that good.
Are there plans to release any more singles or maybe even an EP/album?
Yes! We have something to release very soon so hold tight. Don't think I can give anymore details than that at the minute...
How do you feel the band has progressed from when you first started out?
Definitely. I feel like with every show we play there is always room for progression and something to learn from. Same goes with every song I write and every song we record. Sonically I think our sound has changed a lot from when when we first started rehearsing together three and a half years ago. I also think we've all gotten a lot better when it comes to production as we've been able to experiment more with synths, sound effects and arrangements.
What have been the best and worst moments of your time in Safe To Swim?
Best moment so far would have to be when we played Dingwalls in London when we were on tour with The Night Cafe. Everything just went down so perfectly and the crowd went absolutely nuts singing the chorus of 'Struggling' back to us. I think we could all agree that it has been our best show to date.
Worst moment would have to be nearly two years ago when we played a show organised by one of those "Pay to Play" promoters (not going to name drop) in the basement of some crusty pub in London. We played in front of a total of two members of a midlife crisis punk covers band that were on before us and some drunk dude. On the way home, me and our former bassist drunkenly fell backwards down an Underground escalator. Shortly after that Rawlings had mental breakdown in the middle of Victoria Train Station.
And finally, what are you most excited about for the future?
Just can't wait to release some new music! Sorry about the wait, but it'll be worth it! The stuff we've been working on is a slight change and development in sound to our first two singles but still very much us sticking to our roots. I know that's not very much to go on at the minute but you'll hear soon enough! We're also playing a few hometown Brighton shows this Autumn, giving us a chance to test out some very new material. After that maybe we'll look at getting out on the road again... This is only just the beginning.
Follow Safe To Swim so you don't miss out on those exciting new releases!
Twitter: @safetoswim
Instagram: @safetowswim
You can also catch Safe To Swim here this Autumn:
6th of September - The Green Door Store, Brighton
9th of October - Komedia, Brighton
23rd of November - Headline show at The Hope and Ruin, Brighton
Comentarios