Q&A: Swim Mountain
PSYCH ROCK WITH SOME SUNSHINE POP - Swim Mountain hones in on his best elements with his new EP If. Composer and producer Tom Skyrme’s Swim Mountain project serves as a fruitful and creative element for the artist outside of his film scoring career. If lets Skyrme break down any walls and explore an array of sounds while centering around the theme of relationships. Read below to learn more about the narrative behind the EP, his balance in his career and more.
LUNA: How would you compare this EP overall with your previous releases? Did your creative process differ at all?
SKYRME: I liberated myself completely from the absurdity that I should work with certain instruments or that my music, as Swim Mountain, has a linear sonic identity. I’m only interested in new ideas and exploring sounds that fit what I’m trying to achieve. I’m not interested in genre.
LUNA: The album has a lotttt of groovy sounds to it. Sonically, what were some of your favorite elements to play around with for this EP?
SKYRME: Experimenting with sound, layering instruments to create new instruments and sometimes avoiding the predictabilities. For example, thinking of other ways to give propulsion without normal drum sounds. Although sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed.
LUNA: How does your background and experience with film scoring play out with your personal music?
SKYRME: Film is a linear, everything supports the picture. It’s very rare that the music would inform the narrative or the edit, although I’m sure it’s been done. New instruments would change the narrative or the whole direction of this EP, it was very push and pull.
LUNA: Were there any common themes or narratives throughout the tracks?
SKYRME: I was thinking about how relationships exist through this simulation, you’re always in touch with everyone. Comparing relationships pre and post the internet - running into an ex and their new partner vs watching the whole thing unfold digitally in real time.
LUNA: What song was the most difficult to make? Why did you stick with it?
SKYRME: Every song has its challenges because possibilities are infinite. When you work alone you don’t have anyone throwing new ideas in. If you’re creatively running on empty you just have to break away, do something else, hope that something comes out of the ether eventually. I stick with a song when it's moving and interesting.
LUNA: Is there something you wanted listeners to take away or know about this EP?
SKYRME: Their own interpretation, ideally.
LUNA: It’s becoming a lot more common for artists to release just singles or shorter projects. Moving forward, is a full length album on the radar or do you prefer shorter projects?
SKYRME: I’ve found a great deal of satisfaction working through EPs because the format acts as a conceptual container, like an album, but without the excess fat. Although, when I am writing I tend not to think about track count or format I just stop when it feels done. In the future I'll most likely explore releasing singles and albums. I’m open to both and other possible formats.
LUNA: How do you find a balance between making music for others/as a career and simply for yourself?
SKYRME: It just figures itself out. Although, I’m more aware of burning out now - I’ve taken on too much in the past and you feel like you’re not going to make it.
LUNA: Now that you’ve got this project out, what do you hope the rest of 2020 has in store for you?
SKYRME: I hope I don’t get the coronavirus and I’m looking forward to writing new music.
