silktape – Sink or Swim (2023)
If My Chemical Romance were to have a child with Placebo, the chances are silktape would be it. Despite having only two singles to their name, the UK-based quartet is establishing itself as one of the best up-and-coming artists on the South Coast. In fact, their debut track ‘Stride’ saw them win the Aux Awards for ‘Best Independent Artist’ in 2022. Moreover, the lads are turning heads with coverage from Edgar Allan Poets, The Premium Blend Show, Totally Radio, and various playlists.
Described by Edgar Allan Poets as having “…achieved an enviable musical alchemy”, George Clark (vocals and guitar), Jake Marvin (guitar), Callum Greig (bass) and Alex Mold (drums) fuse their individual brilliance to create inimitable, intoxicating melodies. The second single in their discography, ‘Sink or Swim’ blends elements of grunge, pop-punk and pop-rock in a charming three-minute sonic package. Reminiscent of old-school My Chemical Romance, ‘Sink or Swim’ has a rawness tinged with the brutality of ear-splitting instrumentation and Clark’s gruff vocals…ear-splitting in the best way, of course. Interestingly enough, while there is a desperate innocence heard throughout the harsh track, a sense of sophistication lurks beneath the grime.
While the melody can hold its own as a heart-pumping emo song, it is the significant message that connects with listeners. Salvador Dali once said we should “have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it”, and while this sounds depressing it has a sense of hopefulness and empowerment in it. silktape encapsulates the optimism but also the poignancy of this quote in ‘Sink or Swim’. Clark explains “we wrote ‘Sink or Swim’ during a time we were all feeling overwhelmed and unsure about what the future held…but through it all, we found solace in the idea that we don’t have to be perfect all the time. The song is about finding the strength to keep moving forward, even when it feels like you are drowning.”
Profound, introspective, brash and mesmerising, silktape rattle about your brain, draw all the breath from your lungs and leave you gasping for more with their soul-stirring music.
For more from silktape, check out their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
