After re-releasing their classic EP “Going Blind” for its 30th anniversary, English quartet The Sway returns with another reissue that will undoubtedly appeal to all those indie fans craving some flawlessly written and composed music. Originally released in 2011, “When Worlds Collide” is the only album that includes profoundly talented keyboardist Matt Smith, who previously joined the band in 2008. Inspired by the greats such as The Doors, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cure, and The House Of Love, The Sway travels through the expansive sonic universe built upon many different but complementary styles. Surely, their music dominantly resonates with fundamental elements of indie rock, but you’ll also notice how alternative, post-punk, new wave, and classic rock have found their way into this marvelous full-length album. Their music continuously levitates between the eighties, nineties, and noughties nostalgia yet it shines with so many qualities that will unquestionably appeal to the listeners looking for some modern sound. Therefore, When Worlds Collide offers something for everyone, and you’ll definitely find yourself repeating this epic sonic journey over and over again thanks to so many brilliant ideas and marvelous orchestrations invested by these skillful musicians.
This marvelous release starts with “When Worlds Collide,” a song that immediately sets the tone and prepares listeners for the remainder of the album. They picked this title track as an introductory piece for a reason. It carries some of the finest vocal harmonies, guitar interplays, lush keys, intricate basslines, and excellent rhythmic patterns you’ll hear in a while. The guitars collide harmoniously, creating a perfect backdrop for all those fascinating vocal maneuvers to shine upon. This composition shines with a calm, soothing, relaxing, ethereal ambiance that immediately wraps around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go long after it ends. “Into The Deep” continues at the same pace but dives even deeper into those reverby, otherwordly post-punk instrumentations. This number also sounds much heavier and more powerful thanks to tight riffs, deep low-ends, and robust beats that perfectly pair all those delicate synth leads. This contrast between calmness and aggression suits The Sway so well, making “Into The Deep” one of the standout tracks of the album. Matt Smith’s keyboard performance truly shines on “Before Your Eyes,” a composition that arrives with dominant keyboard leads and melodies that tastefully support tremendous vocal performance. You’ll notice how soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, emotional, and powerful vocal harmonies gradually prepare the listening apparatus for other instrumental layers. It’s one of those songs where vocals and keys shine in the limelight, but still, the remainder of the orchestrations delivered by these experienced musicians are equally impressive. “It’s Your Choice” vividly showcases The Sway’s ability to blend many different yet complementary styles to depict luxuriant sonic imagery. You’ll notice how some of the finest elements borrowed from post-punk, indie rock, and psychedelic rock lurk around, shaping such a majestic ambiance that instantly grabs the listener by the collar. It’s nearly mindblowing how all these elements articulate in the mix without overwhelming each other. Also, David Casson’s vocal performance sounds incredible throughout the track. It’s soulful, honest, and memorable, delivering lyrics with such precision and finesse from scratch to finish while the additional back vocals and singalongs create an anthemic vibe that sounds almost hypnotic. “Evolution” teleports listeners back to the late eighties post-punk era with all those heavy, deep, warm-sounding basslines. This particular instrument shines throughout the entire track, with all those cleverly assembled low-ends. Paul Hogan showcases all his skills and creativity on this important instrument while supporting another collection of catchy, memorable, engaging guitar interplays.
The Sway has invested heart and soul into this material, resulting in many songs that differ in mood and ambiance, yet go well together as a whole. Take “I Won’t Forget You,” “Worthy,” and “Trouble” as an example. You’ll immediately notice how “I Won’t Forget You” resonates with an almost goth rock vibe where lush keys deliver an entire amalgam of intricate, memorable, catchy leads, themes, melodies, and harmonies while the guitars resonate with profoundly heavy riffs. Sean Kelly’s drumming performance also shines in the limelight, with all those tastefully assembled, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics keeping the remainder of the band in line while dictating groove and tempo. On the other hand, “Worthy” and “Trouble” showcase their admiration towards indie rock sound with also those guitar interplays delivered by David Casson and James Kook pervading from all possible sides. Yet, they differ in ambiance a lot, as “Worthy” dives much deeper into the psychedelic rock realm than “Trouble.” Both tracks sound equally good, and there are no doubts they will become a staple on your indie playlist. This marvelous voyage closes with “Rapture” and “Thank You For Your Interest,” two songs that will immediately convince you to sping this fantastic full-length album all over again. “Rapture” has such beautiful, repetitious, hypnotizing vocal harmonies that pull the listener even deeper into the song’s core. The guitars shine with another dosage of ethereal interplays between generously distorted chord progressions on one side and marvelous themes on the other while the rhythm section offers more than necessary power that keeps the entire track so heavy and powerful. “Thank You For Your Interest” resonates with more impressive psych-rock instrumentations, tastefully written and composed to satisfy even the pickiest listeners. It’s a perfect closure of such a fascinating album.
The Sway has created a comprehensive collection of indie/post-punk songs that still sound as fresh as they’ve been in time of the release date. By reissuing “When Worlds Collide,” these skillful musicians allowed the new audience to experience some of the finest indie songs ever recorded. It’s more than clear that The Sway poured heart and soul into this material, as each composition shines with tremendous quality, brilliant ideas, and marvelous musicianship. It’s a masterpiece you surely don’t want to miss. “When Worlds Collide” is available on all streaming platforms.
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