SWiiMS – Counting An Hour (2020)
No stranger to The Other Side Reviews, one of our favourite dream-pop bands is back with their fourth single ‘Counting An Hour’. If you aren’t already acquainted with this Candian quartet, here’s a brief biography of SWiiMS: Hailing from Toronto, Canada, SWiiMS combines elements of shoegaze, New Wave and Britpop to create an elegant, flowing sound. Releasing their debut singles and EP in 2020, the group seems to be the new kid on the block but they are far from naive. Mature and sophisticated, Mai Diaz Langou (vocals and guitar), Colin Thompson (guitar), Cian O’Ruanaidh (bass) and Ken Hume (drums) have a reputation for insightful lyricism and melodic tunes.
The fourth track from their debut EP Through Waves, ‘Counting An Hour’ is an exploration of the passion in overwhelming and intoxicating love. Intoxicating in its own way, ‘Counting An Hour’ sees (or rather hears) Langou’s insatiable vocals combine harmoniously with the soothing instrumentation. Engaging in a dream-pop overload with melodic guitars and drums, SWiiMS showcase their distinctive “hazy ambience” resulting in a feeling of serenity and surrealness.
While the swirling ambience can sonically lift you and carry you away to an alternate reality, it is the addition of Langou’s poeticism making ‘Counting An Hour’ insatiable. Langou’s soft, almost haunting whisper encapsulates the emotional impact of passionate love and not wanting it to disappear. Following like a silver thread through the melody, the soft vocals make this track both overwhelming and sincerely simple.
Along with the single, SWiiMS has released an official music video for ‘Counting An Hour’ which can be viewed here.
For more from SWiiMS, check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
