They’re a mysterious lot are London five-piece Sweat. They made a handful of live appearances last year, popping up at the odd festival and South London squat party, but crucially maintained no online presence whatsoever. In this media-drenched world where almost everybody’s music is a mere click away, their exuberant romo-psychedelia became the stuff of excited legend among more clued up journalists almost immediately.
Their debut track ‘Be Complete’ slipped out onto SoundCloud in December with a similar lack of fanfare, and gave precious little away with its murmured vocals, sideways groove and insane outro. However, track number two, ‘Tambourine’ is the first real clue to what everyone’s been getting excited about.
It’s effortless, almost lethargic in its delivery, but super smooth and gleaming, as far from the slacker under-ambition of garage rock as you could possibly imagine. Its shiny sound will draw comparisons with some of the best productions money could buy in the 1980’s, but the woozy melodies and lullaby-cum-nightmare lyrics have more in common with Syd Barrett, very early Pink Floyd and The Beatles‘ druggier moments.
And, naturally enough, although we’re repeatedly told to “just listen for the tambourine and it’ll be all right,” is there any sign of the aforementioned percussion instrument anywhere on this tune? Is there heck. Contrary, certainly, and wonderfully contradictory at times, Sweat have gambled big by swirling layers of mystique around themselves. But if this proves anything, it’s that they have the goods to more than back up the hype.
Photo credit: Beatrix
