Melbourne’s Swim Season have been on the up and up this past year. A slew of catchy pop singles and applauded live shows have seen them become one of the most adored young bands the city has to offer. The five-piece will no doubt see their popularity grow even more with the release of their new tune Gold Cloak City. That’s right, Mike Baird has decided to employ the brute force of The King’s Guard to enforce his lockout laws (seriously, can someone just bake the guy a pigeon pie already?) Okay, perhaps there’s a less Game of Thrones vibe to this one, so let’s dive in regardless.
With a hefty chorus and pop hooks that will ensnare you from the first spin, Swim Season have a screamer on their hands with Gold Cloak City.
Gold Cloak City is by far the most impressive effort we’ve heard from Swim Season to date. There’s a confidence here that wasn’t apparent on their previous releases. You can most likely chalk this up to the production efforts of John Castle not to mention mastering duties by Andrew Edgson. The band have brought a big, boisterous sound, a sharp contrast to the more lean indie-pop we’ve heard before. Not that we’re faulting one or the other. In this case, it’s great to hear them move into more sonically meaty territory, which lends more power to their killer hooks.
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If you had to compare the sound of Gold Cloak City then Sydney natives Tigertown, Bad Pony and The Griswolds are pretty good company to keep in this case. The chorus is suitably big and melodically uplifting. The dance element which the band carried with them isn’t so obvious here, but they make up for it with that hefty sing-a-long chorus. The vocals are vulnerable and emotive, which is fitting given the mental confusion that saturates the lyrics. That vulnerability is the accessible part of the single, and leading into that gorgeous chorus you’ll be damned if you’re not singing along by the end of it.
Gold Cloak City concerns itself with trying to confront stagnation and promote positive change within one’s self. It’s a powerful message that speaks to almost anyone, which in part is what makes it such a good pop song. You won’t have to wait too long to see the band smash out their new single in a live setting. Swim Season will be launching the track alongside Bad Pony*, who are also launching their new single, at the Grace Darling Hotel on March 18. Saunter over here to get your tickets for this red hot soiree.
*Ed. Shay swears he did not know they were playing with Bad Pony when he ‘compared’ the bands. On point homie, on point.
