One of our goals at WLFY is to no longer be bound to time restraints concerning new releases and tracks. This is to make sure we review things on our own time and give the bands and labels in question the attention they deserve. One of the things that takes adjusting is keeping all the tracks and albums in mind even after they have been long released. Along those lines, one of the best tracks of 2012 that I've been meaning to write about for some time now is the newest (released in September) tune from Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
"Swim & Sleep (Like a Shark)" is a sublime song that features a bouncy guitar that feels like an homage to classical structures found in the work of someone like Bach while still sounding fresh and unique. The track shows great growth for Unknown Mortal Orchestra in the lyrical department. Their debut LP felt lopsided in vocal repetition grounded by wonderfully inventive sounds, but the newest offering shows that the band's lyrics can be just as ear perking as their music is.
The song finds front-man Ruban Nielson conjuring up the the wish of being able to let go of everything in life and existing in a state of non-movement... not giving up existence, but not having to do anything to keep it going. It's a beautiful thought that plays universally, as we've all wished for that break, that momentary slumber where all the weight and expectations can be paused. "Swim & Sleep (Like a Shark)" is a song where both the lyrics and music perfectly convey how necessary moments of calm nothingness are to life.
Wow. I like this much better than most of the tracks on their last LP. Everything feels tighter and sharper this time around.
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