Swapmeet Explores Depths with "Oxalis": Navigating Emotional Terrain + Interview

Swapmeet, formerly known as Sour Sob, hails from the vibrant music scene of Adelaide, nestled on unceded Kaurna land. Their latest EP, 'Oxalis', is a testament to their evolving energy and aesthetics. The band's sonic tapestry weaves indie rock roots with a penchant for sonic experimentation and a punk ethos. Their live performances are renowned for their playful chaos, making them a staple in Adelaide's music circuit.

'Oxalis', a five-track EP, delves into the human experience with a blend of tranquil downtempo, shoegaze-inspired dream pop, and indie rock, sprinkled with a hint of punk rebellion. Themes of hopelessness, fear, love, contentment, and grief are explored through a wistful and melodic lens.

The band's journey in crafting 'Oxalis' spanned three years, a period they describe as instrumental in honing their sound. The result is a collection of tender, emotional, and melodic tracks that effortlessly transition from stripped-back acoustic moments to full-blown rock anthems.

Swapmeet's prowess extends beyond the studio, as they've graced stages alongside notable acts like The Empty Threats, Twine, Adam Newling, Shady Nasty, and Ruby Gill, showcasing their dynamic live presence and musical versatility.

In 'Oxalis', Swapmeet invites listeners on a poignant journey through a spectrum of emotions, solidifying their place as a force to be reckoned with in Adelaide's music scene and beyond.

We had a chat with Swapmeet made up of Maxwell, Josh, Jack and Venus, based on Kuarna Land (Adelaide) to learn more about their latest EP ‘Oxalis’

How did 'swapmeet' come to be?

I'll be honest until this morning i thought 'swapmeet' was an american band as my mind has been plagued without countless hours of playlists of listening to artists like Hotline TNT, Ducks LTD, Wednesday, Dolly, DIIV and more -- My question is: Can you share your thoughts on the surprising American influence in the music of Australian project 'Swapmeet,' especially considering your affinity for bands like Pinback and Waveform?"

I think covid played a big part in our musical evolution in terms of taste and genre. Adelaide - like the rest of the world - had a pretty big crack down on live music, so we were directed to scouring the internet for musical inspiration, leading us to bands like Wednesday and DIIV. I think this ‘internet’ subculture of music is something we share with other bands emerging interstate, and a great way we’re able to gain a community beyond our state borders.

So you have just released your latest EP 'Oxalis' -- What can you tell us about making this record, who did you work with?

Jack here answering this one:

We kind of made it all ourselves; myself and Maxwell both have a home studio type thing that we used to record everything, and then I mixed most of it except ‘Lights in the Field’, which Max mixed. We just caught up on days where a few of us were free and recorded bits and pieces, it was honestly so thrilling to see it all coming together. We got some help and opinions from friends and like other people in the recording scene over here but I think we all really just enjoyed making it between us. It just worked really well.

The artwork is really lush for the EP - who did you work with for the Artwork?

Jack herrreee again:

Thank you - the EP artwork was done by Venus, guitarist/singer of Swapmeet (and primarily an iPad baby). With the EP being home recorded and mixed, it felt only right for the art to also come from us.

What would be your go-to song you are most proud of on the new EP?

I’m most proud of Collision, the second track on the EP. Out of the 5 tracks, Collision was created most recently and thus reflects most accurately Swapmeet’s current sound and process of songwriting. The original live version of the track was super different, and we tried to record it a couple of times but it just wasn’t sitting right.

During the recording process there were a number of songs which we had played live for over two years that just weren’t satisfying tracks when recorded. These songs were put on the back burner, became lost demos and eventually discarded from our set.

So instead of following that pattern, one day we all got together in Jack’s studio and, with the help of caffeine, decided to pretty much completely rewrite the song. This time there was a direct focus on the production, on experimenting and energy, and most of all, complete collaboration between us four. And out of it came the new Collision. So yeah… that’s the one I’m most proud of.

Who would you say are major influences to the sound of 'swapmeet'?

I’d say for songwriting, the likes of Wednesday, Broadcast, PACKS and Frog. Production wise, the sound of Sorry, Alex G, Armlock, Lots Of Hands. I love the way they these artists combine alternative rock with super ear-wormy unusual and engaging sounds in their production.

How would you describe your music to a new listener?

Jack here again:

I’d say it's sort of dreamy, cheeky indie rock, and sometimes it's quite loud and emotional. So basically bedroom-dream-garage-pop-bathroom-emo. But to slim that down, it's probably just indie rock.

Could you describe your creative process when crafting heavily lyrical songs?

As a band consisting of all individual songwriters, I’d say the process of crafting heavily lyrical songs is very different between us. For me (Venus) I’ve always found sitting down to write lyrics super unintuitive and weird. I come up with almost all of my lyrics on the spot as i’m ‘writing’ the song, voice memo as it comes and it usually stays like that. Not because the improvised lyrics are any stroke of genius - it’s usually absolutely nonsensical, over dramatic and cringe - but it captures how I really felt. And that’s kind of what I think the purpose of writing songs has always been for me.

How do you ensure authenticity and raw expression in your performances and recordings?

Following the nature of my songwriting, there is usually a pretty heart-felt reason the songs I write are written. I guess because the songs originate from a very real, emotional experience, I am reminded and can tap into that same time whenever I’m singing them.

Can you give us some insight into your local music community, and what you are most proud of?

Though the Adelaide’s music community is a small and incredibly intertwined one, it has an almost un-proportional amount of incredibly high-quality alternative music. It’s size is largely considered a down-side to the scene - it’ll never have a reputation like Melbourne does - however the community is super tight and it doesn’t take long to become friends with everyone. There aren’t many venues, but the venues we do have are accessible, so it’s easy to get gigs no matter how new or known your band is. It can be easy to resent how small the scene is, but after a while it becomes apparent how special what we have is and should be celebrated. Shout out to some awesome emerging Adelaide bands like War Room, Gallery One, Twine, Jackulson and Cagefly. Keep your eye out for them!

I feel like there's a real uprising of indie/emo projects coming out of Australia like Armlock, Garage Sale, Doris and others -- Do you feel it's a longtime coming? 

Absolutely - I think these are bands who have likewise evolved alongside COVID to have the space to create music that would be otherwise overlooked by the pup-rock scene. I think the pup-rock culture really took over the scene for a long time in Australia, but I think the general perspective on music and drinking has changed drastically over the past few years. Armlock, Garage Sale and Doris have really been pathing the way in an upcoming Indie/emo scene and I love the border-less community it’s building. There is a shared emphasis and appreciation of the production side of music, as well as the importance of exploring complex emotion through their art. I feel very lucky and excited to be involved in it!

Are there any other artists, creatives, bands you want to put forward that our readers should get around?

Definitely recommend looking into the other Adelaide bands that I mentioned previously, or coming to see them live in Adelaide! We also love and recommend the Adelaide photographer/ videographer Mayah Salter, who is our go-to for everything. She is amazing.

What can we expect from 'swapmeet' in the near future? 

We are currently working on a record and will hopefully have a couple singles out in the near future! We are also playing our first Melbourne shows which will be announced soon.

Any Plans to come through NSW in the near future?

We hope so! Keep your eyes out.

Some last words we'd like to say are thankyou for the interest! Really appreciate your time taken to reach out to us.

Big big love - Max, Jack, Josh and Venus.