Fresh off the tour bus with London legends Spector, these four scenesters from Birmingham have big plans for 2013, what with their grungy undertones and infectious tie-dye pop. Wonderland pulled Swim Deep from the smoky side-streets of their hometown to ask about stacking Morrisons shelves, the Midlands music scene and why it’s best to ‘open that lid’.

How would you describe your sound?

Feel good, sunshine music.

So how did you guys all meet?

Me [Austin] and Higgy met in Morrisons when we were working there stacking shelves. We started a band so we didn’t have to carry on and then we met Cavan on a dance floor and Zach outside a strip club in Walsall [West Midlands].

You’re one of a number of bands emerging from Birmingham submerged within this ambient, sun-kissed indie-pop vein – we’re thinking of Splashh and Peace currently. What is it with B-Town and this distinctive sound?

We’ve known Peace since school but we didn’t really set out to make a scene or anything – it just happened. I can only really speak for us but I think the sound comes from a kind of escapism. We love Birmingham, but we also want to get as far away from it as possible and the music is like a conduit for that.

 

How do the grungy undertones fit in amongst your sparkly sound?

We all love grunge music but we’re not in anyway depressed –that’s why we sound the way we do!

As musicians you seem pretty tight. Do you write the tracks together or does one person control your sound?

No one controls the sound. I tend to write the barebones of a song and then we all just flesh it out together.

You guys seem to be doing great already despite having your whole lives ahead of you. What does it feel like to be going from strength to strength at the beginning of your career?

Good! It’s like funny – real funny. Fun and funny. It doesn’t feel that different to jamming in Zach’s shed like we were doing a year ago, the only difference is we’re not starving now.

You’ve just finished touring with Spector alongside Splashh. What’s it been like touring with them both?

It’s been mental – actually insane. Every night has been crazy. It’s like the tour you dream about as a kid, and everything you imagine and dreamt would happen has happened.

Are live shows something that make you nervous or excited? How do you keep a lid on those emotions?

The best thing to do is not keep a lid on those emotions – if you keep a lid on it its bull-shit. Open that lid!

In what way can we expect to see your sound progress?

You can expect a few more guitar solos coming in. Maybe it’ll get worse, maybe the better our lives get the less motivated we’ll be to make great music. Who knows…

Sounds interesting! So what do you hope to achieve in 2013?

Our album is coming out in 2013 so we just want to influence music massively.

Swim Deep play XOYO, London on 26th February 2013. facebook.com/swimdeep

Words: Angus Griffin