In a year where I’ve gone from an average of three shows every weekend to no shows in the past 7 months, it can be hard to keep a positive outlook. Thankfully, ironically more than any other year I’ve been doing this job, I’ve been sent loads of music to look forward to. One of them was “Heartless,” the new single out today from SWARM and Dani King.
SWARM’s trajectory as an artist has been astounding to watch, seeing him transition from being another part of the midtempo crowd to truly excavating his own path in music. Combining dark and foreboding aesthetic, retaining a bit of that midtempo sound, and blending in influence from artists like Celldweller, Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, and more has given his sound a unique flair that no one else can match.
On “Heartless,” he explores another new sound, adding hardstyle to his repertoire but also giving it a sort of gothic euro dance edge? Add to that Dani King’s emphatic vocals that elevate everything, and the song is truly a work of inimitable art. It’s black metal with a Euro/electronic spin, a little slower at times, a bit more serene, but the comparison is there.
Following up his last single, “I’ll Never See The World” with Brian Lenington, it’s clear that quarantine has been good to SWARM who has without a doubt zeroed in on his sound — and as it’s been with so many other artists, it’s at this point that we’re really going to see SWARM come into his own and explode.
Listen to “Heartless” with Dani King below!