SWIM

How do you eclipse a self-released debut album that topped the charts, sent your live show around the world, and brought in a rapidly growing global fanbase? If you’re Melbourne-born artist SWIM, the answer can only ever be bunker down and push yourself even further. Dear Friend is SWIM’s second LP in as many years, and builds upon the expansive sonic universe he’s been intentionally crafting since breaking out in 2020. It’s a cinematic album to immerse yourself in, perfectly calibrated from start to finish. Or as SWIM puts it: “I had a clear idea of what I wanted to make, and I'm trying not to do it for anyone else other than myself. ” Deep in the recesses of Reddit is a burgeoning thread of dance music obsessives who wonder precisely where SWIM came from - and why he is suddenly showing up everywhere. SWIM finds the notion of his being an overnight success highly amusing. ‘I mean, I’ve been doing this non-stop for five years, ’ he says, having released over 50 tracks, including multiple EPs and a full-length during this period. “It’s been slowly building, to the point where shows have doubled in size each time I play. ” Though SWIM started out playing intimate rooms in his hometown, these days he’s more likely to be seen selling out multiple nights at Melbourne’s iconic Forum Theatre or the venerable Koko in London, where he’s now based. That’s before you get to Boiler Rooms and major European festival appearances, not to mention topping the ARIA Dance and Vinyl Charts with his 2024 LP In Circles. What’s more, he’s done it all completely independently, sending music straight into the main veins of his listeners. ‘I love the immediacy of it, ’ he says. ‘When a track’s done, I just want to get it to the fans straight away. ’ Fostering that direct connection is part of SWIM’s unique appeal.