Sweden's Summer Heart loses us in a swirl of experimental dream-pop on "The Forbidden"

03 March 2016, 10:45 | Written by Michael Mehalick

(Tracks)

(Summer Heart)

You would be forgiven for imagining what the Malmö, Sweden-based project of David Alexander sounds like before hitting play. Alexander records as Summer Heart, crafting slick, sun-soaked atmospheres while handling it all including vocals, guitars, synths, bass, computers, and drum machines.

Summer Heart has been prolific since its inception, with a litany of singles, EPs and one LP showing a growth over time from the initial Chillwave branding. This expansion in scope has been teased via recent singles “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” and “Pretty Haze” that relays Summer Heart as more of a fleshed out, full band rather than a bedroom recording project.

Now we have “The Forbidden” taken from a forthcoming EP. On the track, Alexander stacks and stirs vibrant guitar tones as his ethereal vocal calls out, echoing and then layering upon itself. The track then takes an exhilarating upshot, pulling you out of the dreamy aural haze as Alexander ramps up the reverb atop complex rhythms.

Speaking about the song, Summer Heart says: "'The Forbidden' was written and recorded in a living room at Rutford Road in South London during December 2015. The lyrics came first and are pretty much about being addicted to whatever. I am such an addictive person you know … constantly trying to escape… Anyway, I had borrowed this old synth from my friend Dan, I had no idea how it worked but me and my friend Alex Assassin played around with it one night and that became the foundation for the music. And then I just added loads of different layers of guitars and stuff. I can’t really remember how it happened so I guess writing music is the best way to escape… "

Stream Summer Heart’s “The Forbidden” below and look for the EP out later this year.

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