SYDNEY ARTIST SWIMWEAR ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUMN NIGHT AIR - A CONCEPT ALBUM RELEASED IN CHAPTERS, COMMENCING WITH FIRST SINGLE ‘HAPPYNESS’
"If its lead single is anything to go by, the conceptual entity that is Night Air is undoubtedly on track to become one of the most immersive and intriguing releases shared this year."
– Tyler Jenke, Rolling Stone
Sydney bedroom producer Tim Derricourt (Dappled Cities) has been writing and releasing music under his solo muse, Swimwear since his debut EP of 2012. Featuring the head-turning single ‘Easy High’, The Kissing Machine catalysed the first of three Swimwear EPs with follow ups, Low Summer and High Summer building upon Derricourt’s distinct low-fi sound and instantaneous impact both at home and abroad. Four years on and Swimwear is thrilled to announce the imminent arrival of his debut long play Night Air, with the first instalment ‘Happyness’ out today.
Inspired by Richard Yates’ 1962 novel Revolutionary Road and its images of suburban isolation and burnt out love, Night Air is a concept album traversing the explosive start and disintegration of a relationship, capturing feelings of midnight isolation and a world beckoning beyond. Trickled out over four chapters, Night Air begins with the wobbly disco of first single ‘Happyness’. Chapter One introduces a more introspective side to Swimwear’s song-writing, with ‘Happyness’ replacing the gated snares and driving kick of earlier work, and opting for a more atmospheric style, drawing on influences like The Blue Nile, Majical Cloudz and Brian Eno. The result is an ambient, misty world that perfectly captures those late-night feelings of isolation and uncertainty but also the simple, individual joy of being alone, on the road, after midnight, with nowhere to go and no one expecting you back.
“Happyness is both the first single and first chapter of my debut record Night Air, the origin point of a tale of burning love and love burnt out. The song is a story of a night out, in the warm summer air and the ground humming beneath his feet, when anything and everything is possible.” – Swimwear
Off the back of multiple festival appearances and sold out headline shows with his psychedelic art rock band, Dappled Cities, Swimwear began its life at the coveted SXSW festival. It was there Derricourt was struck by performers such as Washed Out and Toro Y Moi, creating immersive, psychedelic dance music and performing it with joyful abandon, on stage, on their own. Over the next while, he knocked out a bunch of tunes on the road, on a laptop, combining the homespun DIY aesthetic of songwriters like Dan Deacon and Panda Bear with his love of grand pop crooners David Bowie, The Style Council, Pet Shop Boys and Damon Albarn. Three EPs on and the fruits of his labour have finally gifted us with the debut Swimwear LP Night Air slated for release sometime in 2020. Stay tuned for the release date.
Night Air Chapter One: ‘Happyness’ is out now via Believe
Spotify / iTunes / Apple Music / Bandcamp