Swim Deep: Mothers review – baggy indie kids embrace psych-pop

Swim Deep may have taken one look at the languid, wishy-washy indie of their debut and decided to step things up. The Birmingham band – now a five-piece after multi-instrumentalist James Balmont joined them – have ditched the loose and baggy guitar pop of 2013’s Where the Heaven Are We? in favour of psych-pop that contorts itself into pulsing Balearic acid house and motorik rhythms. You can hear notes of Flaming Lips’ atomic wig-outs on Forever Spaceman, while frontman Austin Williams’s blissed-out musings now recall Connan Mockasin more than Ian Brown. There are points when it feels as if the band let themselves get slightly carried away, but on this album that’s half the fun. Bop to single Grand Affection’s tight synths; remember halcyon rave days when listening to To My Brother’s twinkling kraut-house; and chalk up Imagination as that one they could have edited down a bit more. It’s a playful and boldly curious return.