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It's been a long time since I believed that bands I like should be popular. Yet sometimes there comes a band who are so good it is criminal that they aren't on Top of the Pops every week. And don't get me started on the fact that there isn't a Top of the Pops for them to be on anymore. In a way it's surprising I hold Swarf in such high regard. They are – in their own words – 'moody electronica' which is not a genre I generally admire. In truth I don't really like 'dance' music as a rule, but there's something about Swarf that turns my musical geography upside down. Maybe it's an 80s thing. Swarf are not a retro band, but their synthesised soundscapes hint at the direction music could have taken if things hadn't gone tragically wrong in the mid-80s with the advent of Stock, Aitken and Waterman.
Swarf have made these songs available from their website for free. Originally recorded for the South Live show on BBC Southern Counties Radio they offer a tantalising glimpse of what the next Swarf album could sound like – should the band reach that stage. This is one of the reasons I wish Swarf were superstars. It's a minor felony that these songs might never be properly recorded, just because the pressures of earning a wage derail a band's progress. These live versions are great – but who knows what the band might achieve in a proper studio. Part of the band's appeal lies in the emotive nature of Liz's voice, who appears both vivacious and vulnerable on stage and in the studio. The song writing is also key – the swirls of synth and processed beats contrary to what you might imagine emphasise the human dimension of the group's songs. The highlight of this collection is the transcendent "Say Something" which builds to a heart-rending climax. Overwhelming feelings that are difficult to describe in words are expressed by this ravishing piece of music. It's easy to imagine an emotionally epic scene, maybe played out on the sea front of Swarf's hometown Brighton. Is it my imagination or is that the sound of seagulls I hear circling overhead? There's something of All About Eve singer Julianne Regan's more plaintive moments in Liz's performance. It is important to remember that there is beauty in the sad times. "Parlour Tricks" might be a more upbeat dance song but it is just as effective, albeit in a different way. I find it hard to review electronic music. What can I say other than the combination of synth burbles and floaty sounds come together to help Liz's voice achieve transcendence? Such care has been put into the song that it is the polar opposite of the just press-a-few-buttons-and-walk-away style of music creation. The video footage of this song is a tantalising glimpse of Swarf on stage. The poor lighting at the beginning leaves the band appearing as dark outlines, though this does improve slightly towards the end. Swarf's live cover of Depeche Mode b-side "Free" is disappointing compared to the Swarf originals on offer. Originally produced for a Depeche Mode tribute album released by Cryonica Records this b-side of "Precious" is not the finest moment for either band. Yet even when the material isn't up to either band's highest standard it is enjoyable to listen to Liz's mellifluous tones. Go to Swarf's site and download these songs. Buy their only album Art, Science, Exploitation. Tell them how much you love them. Then maybe justice will be served. We will have done our bit to make the world as it should be. Next stop Television Centre and the return of Top of the Pops ... what? They're getting rid of Television Centre too? We must act quickly my friends... |
