Don't be afraid to dive in as the homegrown indie trop pop outfit delivers a delightfully summeryEnglish-language debut.
Gym and Swim/ Sea Sick
With members culled from other existing bands (Seal Pillow, Plastic Plastic and The Leprosy), up-and-coming indie-pop outfit Gym and Swim are sort of a small-time supergroup. First formed as a quartet in 2014 for the sole purpose of entering Fat Radio's Bedroom Studio Project One contest, the group then grew to include bassist Hob, who also plays in a synth-pop band called Details.
Their debut single Ironman ticked all the right boxes for a bona fide indie-pop gem: breezy mid-tempo melody, jangly guitar and quirky lyrics about aspiring to be a Marvel Comics superhero. It's the sound they would later fittingly describe as "tropical-inspired pop".
Although Ironman was the group's introduction to the audience, it wasn't until the English-language single Octopussy that Gym and Swim solidified their sound. Built on clonking cowbells and sun-drenched percussion, the song tells the story of a man who sets off on an underwater journey to meet his friend who happens to be an eight-limbed sea creature ("Pack a bag, I'm ready to go/Time to meet my old friend/He lives under the sea, his name's Octopussy").
Since then, English seems to have become Gym and Swim's adopted tongue, with subsequent cuts Yuuwahuu (not to be confused with Yuuwaku, a song by J-rock band Glay) and Bunny House boasting simple English lyrics that could come from a children's limerick: "Pay my money for jam and new shoes/Kiss your lips and forget about you," sings vocalist Chalerm on the former.
Like the releases that came before it, their debut full-length Sea Sick is packed full of tropical lushness and a strong dose of laidback sanook. Opener Throw It Away is a slacker anthem about watching an animal documentary at home while lazing around in bed and wasting time on the phone (totally relatable). Maintaining the carefree breeziness, Sunrise emerges with retro swirling synths whereas Seagal Punch and What Time Is It There call to mind the wistful electro-folk sound of British outfit Crystal Fighters.
Elsewhere, American High School Sweetheart sparkles thanks to '80s guitar riffs and delightful vocal harmonies. The album's slowest number and perhaps the most solemn, I Need You John, then shifts the mood, serving up a kind of musical relief from the overall happy-go-lucky vibes in the form of brewing, contemplative synths.
As a whole, Sea Sick does exactly what you'd expect from the tin. And by that, we don't mean inducing motion sickness, but rather living up to its promise of tropical-inspired pop. There's plenty of that here and a whole lot of light-hearted whimsy to be had. If you were previously charmed by the band's early cuts or looking for the music to while away a lazy summer day to, this album certainly won't disappoint.
THE PLAYLIST
Hugo/ Ya Ma Hai Hen
Guys in a relationship who can't help checking out cute girls -- Chulachak "Hugo" Chakrabongse feels your pain. On his Montonn Jira-produced new single Ya Ma Hai Hen (Stay out of my sight), the Thai-British singer-songwriter moves beyond the age-old look-but-don't-touch policy by simply telling all the babes to get out of his sight. "I'm trying to be faithful/Don't get it twisted, leading me astray," he sings over a ripple of folk guitars. The song is set to appear on Hugo's forthcoming Thai-language LP Dum Sanid, which marks his first on new label ME Records.
MIA (featuring Zayn)/ Freedun
Freedun is the fifth cut lifted from MIA's fifth album AIM following Go Off, Borders, Foreign Friends and Bird Song. It's from the "People's Republic of Swaggerstan" but with former One Directioner Zayn Malik on board (reportedly via WhatsApp no less) the track leans towards the more mellow side of things. The rapper's trademark rambunctiousness is traded in for a radio-friendly melody. "Lara Croft is soft when it comes to my stuff/She's made up, I'm real, that's enough," she boasts before Zayn takes over with his whispery croon: "All the stars are still shining/But you're the only one I see/I can feel when your heart beats/Babe, you can't keep your eyes off me."
The Black Eyed Peas (featuring The World)/ #WHERESTHELOVE
It's not hard to understand why The Black Eyed Peas' 2003 smash Where Is the Love? has become the catch-all anthem for all that's wrong with the world today. The fact that now there's a reworked version of the song by the same band, however, is a touch difficult to grapple with. Apart from the all-star collaborators (referred somewhat pretentiously to as "The World") and a change of musical style, #WHEREISTHELOVE doesn't really bring anything new to the table nor does it improve on the original. And since we're speaking in hashtags now, how about #BringBackJustinTimberlake?
The Radio Dept/ Swedish Guns
The new Radio Dept single sounds like a hybrid between New Order and Pet Shop Boys, and, yes, it sounds just as great in real life as it does on paper. Built on foreboding synths, the song finds the Swedish indie trio criticising their motherland's arms industry, which ranks among the world's largest. "You need a helping hand?/Get Swedish guns/Secure a piece of land/Get Swedish guns," sings frontman Johan Duncanson against the fitting gun sound effects.
How To Dress Well/ What's Up
Speaking of his new single What's Up, Tom Krell, aka How To Dress Well, said that it was inspired by Cities of Foam, Saint Etienne and the New Radicals. An apt description considering that the track is a wholesome blend of indie-pop, R&B, hip-hop and jazz. As for the lyrics, Krell is all loved up, singing how he loves the thoughts and thighs of his significant other: "I said I love your thoughts/The way they wander with such energy/I also love your thighs/Yeah, now you know what's up."
