The last record from Paul Coltofeanu, aka Free Swim (twitter), may have been about the trials and tribulations of a panda climbing Everest, but now he’s back with an all the more rooted in real life in Dennis! – the story of two friends pushed apart by the emergence of love and a girl on the scene for one of the partying duo.
Musically it’s mostly a clever, roaring piece of indie pop reminiscent of Super Furry Animals in the heyday with simple rhythms and distorted guitar. But then he throws all that out of the window with third track The Smell Of Pregnancy that whilst keeping those guitar riffs front and centre, a slap bass appears and the drums jump and slide into a Zappa-esque avant-garde groove.
It’s the pure, delicious art-pop of friendship and love.
You can grab the whole EP now from Free Swim’s Bandcamp for free along with his past escapades. Do it.
(hat tip to Jack from Alcopop! for pointing me to the swimming pool)