For years, songwriter and producer Lontalius – AKA Eddie Johnston – has been turning what feel like private, introspective diary entries on the turbulence of youth into tender pop, typically driven by intricate guitars and his swoony vocals.
‘Swim’ is taken from Lontalius’ second album All I Have, due out October 4. A more energetic cut than typically found in the Lontalius catalogue, it positions Johnston’s vocals against a pulsating beat and an ambient backdrop before a wave of overdriven guitar takes it to its soaring crescendo. It’s an idiosyncratic burst of buoyant yet emotional indie-pop, with a foot in the world of acts like The 1975 or Troye Sivan.
“‘Swim’ is about the acceptance that with all the heartbreak, anxiety and stress of being young, the universe is still leading you on the right path,” says the New Zealand-born artist.
“You can have everything seemingly perfectly lined up in front of you, but sometimes it just won’t work out… it’s a song that I’m really proud of. It hit a lot of marks I had been trying to hit for the past few years. It’s energetic and it has a pace to it that I haven’t done before, all the while still living in the ‘Lontalius’ world, I think.”
Listen to ‘Swim’ below. Lontalius will tour Australia this October/November for the first time, supporting producer Japanese Wallpaper‘s Glow album release tour.
