스위머스 (Swiimers) - [Swiimers High]

Swiimers 1st Full-Length Album [Swiimers High] Those days. On winter days, we simply met, parted, and met again soon, chatting, crying, and getting drunk. Time was strangely overflowing, so even without believing in eternity, every day already felt like eternity. We savored for a long time the things that vanished quickly, like the spreading breath in the air or the flowing liquor. We were so desperate that even a fleeting moment didn't feel like a loss. The band Swiimers' first full-length album [SWIIMERS HIGH] returns those forgotten winter days like a dream. Even though ten years have passed since their first single 'Polaris' (2015), Swiimers still naturally exist upon the 'moment,' as if swimming. Twelve songs, forged by seizing flowing time, fill the album. They captured moments that drift, evaporate, flicker, and pour out, unfolding them through thick guitar noise and whispering voices. Even when dizzying and brilliant sounds—like a kaleidoscope, and sometimes precarious—fill the songs, no anxiety is felt. Perhaps it is thanks to the band's matured skill. In addition to original members leader Jo Min-kyung (guitar/vocals) and Jang Seon-woong (drums), Song Jae-kyung (guitar/producer) joined as a new member. Previously released singles that form the 'Promise Trilogy'—'Even if I don't believe in eternity,' 'Knight Verse,' and 'Winter Resolution'—serve as the skeleton of the album, and things that are beautiful like eternity precisely because they cannot last fill the gaps between. This starts from the first track, 'Beautiful Days.' The old days summoned over a long drift are inevitably beautiful, even if they provide no consolation whatsoever. 'Gravity (Anchor)' attempts to tie down the 'now'—where "butterflies fly and flower rain pours"—like an anchor, though it cannot last forever, while in 'Butterfly: Non Terra Sed Aquis,' they choose to become the flowing wave instead of anchoring in the moment. Naturally, the heart that wishes to dwell in a beauty that soon evaporates often grows weary. The second track and title song, 'MOMMY,' embraces the heart that wants to fall away "from an incompetent and useless body," telling it, "It's not your fault." A gentle melody hugs a grueling despair. It is an overwhelming consolation. While sailing through shattering time, the song that unexpectedly catches the ear is 'Neon Blue.' It features a low voice rarely heard from Swiimers. It shines like neon and is warm like an incandescent bulb. The final track and the album's namesake, 'SWIIMERS HIGH,' is truly a festival of the moment. It makes one dream of a height without height, a depth of unknown depth, and perhaps an endless swim within eternity. After passing through all twelve songs, the body and mind somehow become sensitive. Is this a good thing? I may not know for sure, but it will help life become more thrilling than it is now. Like a beer drunk after swimming, it is refreshing and dizzying. / Reporter Kim Ji-hye, Kyunghyang Shinmun [Swiimers High] Producer's Note Noise rock with the heart of K-Pop, ready to expand to the world. Having wandered the fringes of the Korean popular music scene for the past 30 years as a fan, musician, producer, engineer, creator, and lyricist, and having witnessed and experienced many joys, sorrows, rises, and falls, I believe the common characteristic of musicians who leave a lasting legacy is 'irreplaceability.' While making this album, I thought a lot about the reason why Swiimers must exist, and why it has to be Swiimers. Swiimers' lyrics are very beautiful and highly polished. One could say they are close to pure literature or poetry; they are that implicit and difficult, requiring careful observation to find the hidden meanings. I hope that the spirit dwelling in 'MOMMY,' the indelible pain of 'Knight Verse,' the life and thoughts of youth in this era depicted in 'Neon Blue,' and the consolation contained in 'Butterfly: Non Terra Sed Aquis' can be fully conveyed. Swiimers' musical spectrum is wide, yet their sound is concise and consistent. The foundation of Swiimers' sound is formed by the complex musical tastes of MQ CHO—who enjoys post/indie rock acts like Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Joy Division, and Slowdive, but is also a fan of aespa and Crush—and the tastes of Jang Sun Woong, who enjoys straightforward rock like Acidman and Arctic Monkeys. Dreamy sounds created by guitar effectors and synthesizers pile up like a fluffy blanket over a refreshing rhythm, and when pop melodies with strong hooks and MQ CHO's airy voice are cozily buried within, a sound is completed that can only be described as "sounding like Swiimers." As a producer, I would like to define it as "noise rock with the heart of K-Pop." Swiimers possesses a solid foundation and broad scalability. Their debut EP, released in 2016, received modest attention not only domestically but also overseas, and through their appearance at the 2017 Liverpool Sound Festival and club tours in the UK and Berlin, Swiimers confirmed their potential in the international market. The single "Erika," pre-released this September, received positive reviews from music webzines in Poland, Canada, and other regions, and the Thailand and Japan tours scheduled for November are also highly anticipated locally. Swiimers' scalability can also be explained through their genres. Starting with the first track "Beautiful Days," which carries a languid bedroom pop sensibility, the album contains a colorful variety of music like a comprehensive gift set: the bouncy guitar pop "MOMMY," "Neon Blue," which evokes the early domestic indie scene, "Ice & Fire," which traditional post-rock fans would welcome, "Gravity," created as a wedding song, and "Butterfly: Non Terra Sed Aquis," which contains an homage to shoegazing legends. Although much time has passed since the EP until the full-length album, activities have continued steadily with the release of singles such as "Even If I Don't Believe in Eternity" (2018), "Knight Verse" (2022), and "Winter Resolution" (2022). From 2024, 9 (=that's me...), who had previously participated only as a creator and producer, joined as a guitarist to reorganize the overall live sound and solidify the foundation for their activities by honing their stage presence through regular performances at Hongdae clubs. Now, they are ready to expand into the world. / 9 (Jay Song) [Swiimers] MQ CHO Jang Sun Woong Jay Song [Tracks] 01. Beautiful Days Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers 02. MOMMY Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V directed by Kim Yoo Seok 03. Erika Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V Artwork by Pory (with MidJourney) 04. Knight Verse Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V Artwork by Pory 05. Neon Blue Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers 06. Ice & Fire Lyrics by MQ CHO Composed by Jay Song Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V film by MQ CHO 07. Even If I Don't Believe in Eternity Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO All Arranged and Performed by Swiimers Except Bass by Kim Nam Yoon (3호선 버터플라이) M/V film by MQ CHO 08. Gravity (Anchor) Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers 09. Butterfly : Non Terra Sed Aquis Lyrics by MQ CHO Composed by MQ CHO Jay Song Arranged and Performed by Swiimers 10. With the Lie That We Resemble Each Other (Watermark) Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers 11. Winter Resolution Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V film by MQ CHO 12. Swiimers High Lyrics and Composed by MQ CHO Arranged and Performed by Swiimers M/V Film by Sean Yoo (Lilly Eat Machine) MQ CHO [Credits] Produced by Jay Song Recorded by Jay Song (Lil Folks Studio) MQ CHO (Dazed & Abandoned Studio) Except Drums on Track 2, 6, 9 Sang-cheol Lee (Tone Studio) Drums on Track 1, 10, 12 Ho-gun Ryu (Studio Tardis) Drums on Track 7 Yong-hee Park (Black Key Studio) Guitar on Track 4 Jae-hyun Lee Bass on Track 7 Nam-yoon Kim (Southpole Soundlab) Mixed by Jay Song (Lil Folks Studio) Mastered by Chae Seung-kyun (Sonic Korea) Cover Artwork by Jaemin Lee (Studio fnt.) Cover Image by Louis Fleckenstein, courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Public Domain) Photography by Mugung Hair & Makeup by GH Makeup Styling by Sooksmell Management Choi In Hee (ORM ENT.) Executive Producer Swiimers