Manchester lo-fi indie band Vala have truly made the first half of 2022 their own. With sell out shows in both their native Manchester and in the capital, as well as supporting their friend and BBC ‘one to watch’ Sfven they’ve had an amazing run of shows this year already. The band’s previous two singles ‘This Town’ and ‘You Don’t Want My Love’ have gained massive radio play on Radio X, BBC, XS Manchester and Amazing radio UK/US.
Stepping slightly away from the band’s more upbeat, lo-fi indie pop style that earned them a fan and production mentor in The Strokes/Libertines producer Gordon Raphael, the band revelled in changing the pace as front man Joe Knowles explains, “We’ve enjoyed slowing down for this track, with it feeling like a continuation of the production and style of our 2021 single ‘It’s Alright When You’re Falling’. The samples of poolside noises are from the film ‘Eighth Grade’, lifted from a scene that was both funny and harrowing and stuck with me so much I had to add the sounds to a song called Swimming. I love the fat drums and bass when they enter around the halfway mark, and is worth the wait to hear one of Vala’s signature moves.”
‘Swimming’ is released via Shoplifters Union Records and distributed via AWAL on 10th June 2022, the third of four tracks assisted by legendary The Strokes producer, Gordon Raphael.