Singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk recently dropped her second EP, Swim. If you liked our recent premiere, featuring her single “Alight“, you’re going to love this five strong selection.
Recorded in a Central Victorian farmhouse, Swim brought together a band of old friends on violin, banjo, dobro, double bass and drums, with Anna’s sister on backing vocals. The end result is a rousing collection of contemporary folk music, bound together by Anna’s thoughtful lyrics and distinctive vocals.
Of the EP, Anna said:
“Being in unfamiliar places always spurs new ideas for me. I wrote these songs in the Solomon Islands, Cambodia and Australia. I was living in places that were so different in so many ways, but water, rain and the ocean were fundamental in all of them, and images of water kept coming up in the songs.”
Inspired by Anna’s global travels, Swim is an exquisite exercise in musical storytelling. Every track is strong, but there’s haunting quality to both “Bones” and “Home“, a past AU Review Track of the Day, that will stick with listeners for a long while.
Lyrically, Anna touches on a variety of themes – from long distance love (“The Wait“) to a despair of global politics (“Alight”) – with more than a few poignant lines and stirring choruses perfectly designed to get under your skin. Featuring stunning layered vocals, it’s all brought together by that folk-loric, almost alt-country, sound, resulting in a beautifully crafted EP that just gets better and better with every listen.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Anna Smyrk’s Swim is out now – head to Apple Music, Bandcamp, or Spotify to give it a spin.
If you like what you hear (and we really think you will!), you can catch Anna performing live on the following dates:
27/11: Spotted Mallard, Melbourne, VIC
16/01 – 19/01: Illawarra Folk Festival, Illawarra, QLD
26/01 – 27/01: Newstead Live Music Festival, Newstead, VIC
06/02: Terang Live, Terang, VIC
07/02: Wheatsheaf Hotel, Adelaide, SA
08/02: Stone Pony, Adelaide, SA
In the meantime, you can stay up to date with all things Anna Smyrk via her website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!
