Updated: Jan 7, 2022
Swarm is a very interesting artist/producer for one simple reason, the unexpected sound you will hear when you listen to him. I know it sounds corny as hell but you probably read that and said NOPE here is another article telling me why I should listen to him. I’m simply writing this because his newest EP, Fight for Your Life, really hit home for me. I want to share and spread the word of this EP to anyone who may be struggling with mental illness, or just struggling in general. Swarm is based out of Tampa, Florida. This feels forced, so if you want a whole backstory, you can find that on his Twitter or one of his social media accounts. This is not an artist spotlight you fuck. We are here to talk about the album so let’s not waste any more time trying to be an awesome journalist. Look, I’ll be real… This EP is, hands down, the most emotional, heavy, and heartfelt work of art I have ever heard and yet most people will say, “oh it’s just another sad boi sound.” That could not be further from the truth. Sad boi hits you in the feels and makes you take notice that you are not alone. Not Swarm baby! He goes into your soul and makes you notice all the shit you are dealing with. We will talk more about mental health later in the article. Let’s get into why you all are here. The EP has four original songs with one orchestral version. The best part of the album is that it is a concept album BUT every song has its own standalone value. If you don’t know what a concept album is, we are not cavemen, we have the technology. Go google it. I'll wait… (If you have some time, I highly recommend listening to the album while you read the booklet he put out. https://t.co/9AAhslBonG ) Don’t worry, I’m only gonna touch on each song briefly because it’s art. We all have differing opinions on what the songs mean to each other. Plus, who has time to read a whole 5000-word essay from some jackoff on the internet, right? You’re still here? Fuck it! Let’s send it then. Fight for Your Life is a short track yet it sets the stage for the emotional journey that you are about to embark on. A fantastic way to lead into The Oncoming Storm. This is the song that will put how you are feeling into words. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. We all are going through shit and Swarm knows this. He makes you feel like it’s normal to have some extreme thoughts. That’s why his use of lyrics, such as “cause you are in the line of fire, I just need to hurt somebody today,” are so impactful. Here is where things take a swing, yet it feels so right. Synchronize to me is the most powerful song that he has ever put out. Emotiona is the vocalist on this track. The way he speaks really makes me feel like I just got through a rough day and I don’t wanna keep going and yet it speaks to the glimmer of hope we all have in us. Not only did he provide us with a very touching song but he gave us an orchestral version of Synchronize and honestly, you can feel his words so much deeper with the way swarm produced the orchestral sound. The final original track is Anyone But Me featuring SOUNDR. This song is why I wanted to write this. This track hit me so hard for one simple reason, it does not give answers or make you feel like you are not alone. It legitimately ripped my fucking heart out of my chest and stomped on it. For the simple fact that you can see others in your life striving and reaching goals that you have set for yourself. It seems almost impossible to reach. Looking in the mirror, you hate who you have become. It does not pull any punches but it will hit you real hard if you are struggling with any mental illness. If you are struggling with mental health like depression, do not try to bottle it up and become someone you cannot stand to look at. Everyone has gone through something in life. No matter how bad it is, someone else has gone through it and made it out the other side. Music can help you build the confidence needed to break through that wall. Just ask any warp tour kid and they will tell you the power of a track if you don’t believe me. At one point we were angsty and felt like no one was on our side except the artist, we all made it out. And if you think “oh I have no one to talk to about this” or “I don’t wanna bother someone else with my problems,” I was just like you. I have zero problems with anyone shooting me an email. Not just me, anyone on the team page will be more than happy just to hear you out. We are not therapists. We are people who want the best for everyone. The best thing you can do is share what you are going through and just talk about it. Ignoring it makes the problem grow into what feels like an impossible mountain to climb. Yes, this sounds depressing and gives no happy ending but that’s what I love about the whole EP. The way Swarm just throws it all on the table you can just tell this is from his soul. I’ll be blunt, no one can be the best person they can be if they are not at least striving to get out of a minor funk or a serious battle of depression. Swarm shows the world it’s ok to have problems and anyone, no matter the case, will always fight for your life.
Written By: Anthony Bromer
Edited By: Abigail M