Swindle | No More Normal [Brownswood Recordings]

In a society where competition is often favoured over collaboration, where knowledge is coveted for fear of furthering another’s progression at a faster rate than our own & social status is measured by the amount of ‘likes’ we get on our highlight reels – it’s refreshing to meet someone who unashamedly challenges those perceptions and stays firmly rooted. 

Enter Swindle – revered DJ, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all-around musical mastermind.  Effortlessly floating from Grime DJ to multi-genre composer, producer, collaborator & everything in between – Swindle consistently pushes the boundaries of composition, bridging the genre divides with his fusion of world influences and fearlessly innovative productions.

Last night saw the screening of his ‘No More Normal’ film at Rough Trade, Bristol. A dimly lit room housed around fifty aficionados, collaborators, friends and family and allowed them an insight into the workings of the project & Swindle’s motivations behind it.

The album in itself is a work of art – boasting collaborations with Etta Bond, Kiko Bun, Kojey Radical, Rider Shafique, P-Money, Knucks, Andrew Ashong, D-Double E & Bristol’s finest – Eva Lazarus. Transeding from Jazz, to Grime, to Hip-Hop, Drill, Trap and back again – ‘No More Normal’ is a testament to not only the creative prowess of Swindle and the artists on the album but also highlights the importance of collaboration in it’s purest form.

Speaking as part of the Q&A at the screening, Swindle touches on his motivations behind the project and why it is so important to not only collaborate but to share knowledge and learn from those around you. It is obvious that his passions lie within the processes and that the final result, although the purpose and of course celebrated, is nothing more than a physical representation of the experiences shared by those involved on the record and their journey throughout the project.

Speaking highly of his interactions with the artists on the record, how they influenced him throughout the process and vice-versa, Swindle spoke of the importance of making music for the music, not being confined by deadlines and his process as a producer. Favouring organic progression and natural influence from those involved in the process and the process itself, Swindles mentality towards composition, creativity and collaboration is as inspiring as it is vital in a time of such societal divide.

It’s rare that I make these types of posts personal, but after witnessing such an inspiring and humble process, it’s hard to not want to say thank you. Thank you for not conforming to societal pressures and for celebrating people’s diversity, culture & individualities and for creating a platform for future generations to fearlessly question these ‘norms’. No more divides. No more limits. No More Normal.

You can grab a copy of the album here and check out the full screening of ‘No More Normal’ here.