REVIEW: Midnight Swim - Midnight Swim
- David Waites
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Manchester has long been one of Britain’s most prolific breeding grounds for elite music. OASIS and THE STONE ROSES may be two of the city’s most influential exports, but Manchester’s musical identity stretches far beyond them. Within its metalcore and alternative scene, MIDNIGHT SWIM are beginning to make their presence known, and their self-titled debut is an impressive introduction.
Formed in 2023 after lead vocalist Jack Valentine and guitarist Danny Heaton’s previous project reached the end of the road, the pair chose not to put their instruments down. Instead, they recruited Matt Lunn on guitar, Matty Ashton on bass and Liam Clough on drums, creating the five-piece that would become MIDNIGHT SWIM. There is an immediately nostalgic quality to the band’s sound, but it never feels as though they are simply attempting to recreate the past. They combine elements of alternative rock, pop and metalcore, taking familiar influences from the 2000s and 2010s and giving them a distinctly modern edge.
The album opens with Tease, and it wastes little time making an impression. Valentine’s gritty, abrasive vocals sit alongside a rich electric-guitar riff that runs throughout the track, acting almost as a rhythmic anchor rather than simply waiting for the opportunity to become a traditional guitar part. When the solo eventually arrives, however, restraint goes out of the window. It is explosive, technically impressive and immediately establishes the band’s ability to balance melody with heavier instrumentation. Play It Cool (Wanting More) takes the album in a more accessible direction. Its infectious vocal phrasing and harmonious instrumentation give it an upbeat quality, with a strong 2000s/2010s alternative-pop-rock influence. Crucially, though, it does not sound like a band attempting to recreate a particular era. The nostalgia is there, but it is filtered through a contemporary production and songwriting style.
One of the album’s strongest moments arrives with Shaking You From My Feelings Would Be Easier If You Were Dead. The title may be a mouthful, but the song itself is anything but complicated. This feels like MIDNIGHT SWIM at their most natural: energetic, catchy and built around the kind of moments that should translate exceptionally well to a live audience. It has the characteristics of a future crowd favourite, with enough hooks to encourage an entire room to sing back at the band. Don’t Wanna Talk About It introduces a heavier side of the record. One of its most distinctive features is Valentine’s strong Mancunian accent, which gives the track an identity that cannot simply be replicated by another vocalist. The band wear their roots proudly, and there is a clear nod towards their punk influences. It feels rawer than some of the preceding material and provides an important change of pace.
Then comes In The Rain, By The Car, featuring additional vocals from Shannon Gillespie. Her voice adds another dimension to what is perhaps one of the album’s most emotionally driven tracks. Rather than relying on wall-to-wall guitar riffs, the instrumentation is used to create atmosphere. The guitar provides texture and space, while the drums prevent the song from becoming static. The real strength lies in the relationship between the two vocal performances. Valentine and Gillespie do not compete for attention; they lean into one another, allowing the emotional weight of the song to build naturally. It is a heartfelt track centred around pain and vulnerability, and its restraint makes the emotion more effective.
Sinners turns the amplifier back up. The guitars become more aggressive, while the drums - particularly the bass drum - become a dominant force within the arrangement. The track has an infectious rhythmic quality and feels deliberately constructed for audience participation. Melodically, it is one of the album’s most satisfying moments and another song that feels destined for a loud live reception. Bend & Break takes a more intimate approach. There are shades of SHINEDOWN in its atmosphere, particularly in the way the instrumentation creates space around the vocal. Clough’s drums resonate throughout the track, almost marching beneath Valentine’s softer delivery before his vocals develop into something closer to a desperate cry. It is one of the album’s most emotionally raw performances, and much of its impact comes from the restraint of the arrangement. Clough and Valentine deserve particular credit here; neither attempts to overpower the other, allowing the song to breathe.
Then comes Push Back, perhaps the album’s biggest stylistic departure. The track introduces a funkier character without abandoning the band’s heavier guitar sound. The bass is the star of the arrangement, with Ashton moving up and down the fretboard to create a groove that becomes almost impossible to ignore. Valentine’s vocal approach also changes, at times carrying echoes of Patrick Stump, and surprisingly, the comparison works. The combination of funk, rock and pop sensibilities makes Push Back one of the album’s hidden gems and demonstrates that MIDNIGHT SWIM are not afraid to experiment with their identity.
Do You Want To Get Away brings the record back towards more conventional rock territory. It is by no means a bad song, but its position on the album works against it. Following the heights of Push Back, it inevitably feels less distinctive. That is perhaps less a criticism of the song itself than a consequence of the standard set by what comes before it. The Last Song I’ll Write About You is arguably the album’s most intriguing collaboration. James Veck-Gilodi, frontman of DEAF HAVANA, contributes creatively to the production and vocals, having previously worked with Lunn and Ashton on an earlier project. His involvement elevates the track without making it feel disconnected from the rest of the album. It is considerably more pop-oriented and modern, with the electric guitar dialled back to create a smoother atmosphere. There are hints of THE 1975 in its approach, but the song never feels like an attempt to imitate them. It moves outside the conventional boundaries of a rock track and, as a result, feels like one of the album’s most commercially accessible moments.
Fade, the penultimate track, returns to a heavier sound. The opening guitar immediately establishes a darker tone, with echoes of classic alternative rock and CREED in its construction. When Valentine’s raspy Mancunian vocals enter, the track takes on an almost sonnet-like quality. Once again, vulnerability becomes one of the band’s greatest strengths. There is nothing particularly polished or artificial about Valentine’s delivery; the imperfections are part of what make it convincing. The song feels exposed, and that authenticity runs through much of the album.
The record closes with Like You Love To, its longest track, and perhaps its most appropriate conclusion. After the stylistic shifts throughout the album, the placement feels deliberate. The electric guitars are a particular highlight, moving between controlled passages and full-on shredding before eventually giving the impression that the band have emptied the tank.
MIDNIGHT SWIM have created a debut that is energetic, varied and emotionally honest. The album moves comfortably between rock, metalcore, pop and funk without becoming completely defined by any one of them. There are songs designed for reflection, songs designed for a festival crowd and melodies that are likely to remain lodged in the listener’s head long after the album has finished. The influences are clear, but MIDNIGHT SWIM do not appear interested in simply replicating the bands that came before them. For a debut, that is perhaps the album’s greatest achievement. It does not sound like a band who have already decided exactly what they are. It sounds like a band discovering how far they can push their sound - and enjoying the process.
Score: 9/10
Midnight Swim will be released on 11th September 2026.
Words: David Waites
Photos: Clayton Visuals
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