Muttering, the latest signings to Failure By Design Records, evaluate the effect of both the climate crisis and overpopulation – in just three minutes – on new single ‘Swim’. Vocalist Chaz Bush said the theme of the song came about after: ‘I read an article that suggested the worst thing you can do for the environment is have a child. The idea that you could bring a child into a world that was destined to be catastrophically wetter was playing havoc with my commitment to procreation. These shocking possibilities weren’t only considered by Kevin Costner’s ‘Mariner’ in the 1995 bellyflop ‘Waterworld’, after all… I was consumed by the contradiction of stopping the spread of the human race to protect the human race. We were aware and focused on building something that was never going to last. Why? And can you swim?‘
After opening with a potent clash of riffs and drums, Chaz offers up the stark warning that ‘You better teach your kids to swim, they know the trouble they’re in’ before doubling down and declaring ‘Everything’s gonna change, I can feel it’ – all against a backdrop of emo-tinged melodies… Think Into It. Over It. meets Hell is for Heroes. There’s then one final warning to people not paying attention: ‘If you can’t hear it, are you even listening?’
