Night Swims On “Idle/Wild”
Night Swims is the personal project of guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, lead vocalist and songwriter Michael Thomas. He was joined by Dave Savoian (bassist) and Nathan Atwood (drums), forming the band in June 2021 prior to playing live shows. The band expanded the scope of their live performances with the addition of guitarist Tucker Bancroft in March of this year.
Night Swims’ exquisitely textured and sophisticated sound has a beautiful cinematic quality which arises from the many musical influences of 90’s indie rock, post-punk, blues and elements of Americana, with artistic nods towards artists such as Radiohead, Doves, Spiritualized, and Elbow. Night Swims released the debut album Idle/Wild earlier this year (February 2022) and have steadily honed their live performances, captivating audiences with consistently well-received shows in San Diego, LA and Palmdale, CA. Michael answers some questions for Hi Fi Way.
Congratulations on your debut album Idle/Wild, have you been stoked with the reaction so far?
I think overall yes. We were completely unknown going into the recording of the album, so any response has been welcomed, positive or negative. Feeling grateful that people have felt compelled to listen.
Was the album as challenging as you thought it would be to make?
I’d say more so as the songs took on a much grander scale than I had originally planned.
What was the biggest lesson learnt that you wouldn’t repeat with the next one?
To not hold back at all. There are moments of Idle/Wild where I feel I played it safe.
Sonically, how would you describe your album?
Spacey, Lush, Textured, and Thick at times
What was your reaction hearing Idle/Wild start to end for the first time?
I was relieved. I was very much ready to shift my concentration to new music and the feeling which came with knowing the first release was completed was a huge weight that was lifted.
Collectively, what are some of the influences that inspired this album?
I believe this was an album that utilized most of the music I grew up with as inspiration. It was very much inspired by those times in my life and the music that resonated and saved me. This album is almost like a period piece if I could relate it to film. A period piece which takes place during my childhood. It was absolutely influenced by most of the Brit Pop movement of the 90’s and the late 80’s underground movement from Northern UK.
What’s the story behind the single After All?
This song is about finding that person, place, or moment that helps to achieve a sense of acceptance that whilst everything is not always ok, there is still so much to be grateful for; a bit childish, but it was a lesson that took many years for me to learn.
What’s your favourite track off the album to play live?
Hide Your Dreams easily. It’s an incredibly dramatic and dynamic song when heard live.
Any plans to tour internationally?
We have some plans. I am not allowed to speak on that yet. But there are plans in the works.
What’s next for Night Swims?
Playing live as much as possible and working on our next releases.
Live Interview By Rob Lyon
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