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Apr 01, 2021 By Caleb Campbell

Swim Camp is the moniker of Philadelphia-based indie singer/songwriter Tom Morris. His lo-fi indie folk style centers around the simple combination of downtempo instrumentation, personal lyricism, and Morris’ plaintive vocals, earning Swim Camp comparisons to Philly peers like Alex G, while equally being inspired by experimental acts like Spirit of the Beehive. For his latest release, Morris signed with Know Hope Records, releasing his first 7” with the label on May 7th. He has also shared the A-side of the single, “Stupid Thing.”

Morris’s fragile vocals are the centerpiece of “Stupid Thing,” though they are slowly joined by swirling instrumentation, a rising string section, and marching percussion. Morris gently drifts among the haze, riding the waves of strings and airy melodies as he digs deeper into lyrical introspection, taking stock of a failed relationship. The result is simultaneously minimal and rich, sinking into melancholy soul-searching but never disturbing the simple startling beauty of Morris’ voice and arrangements.

Morris tells Brooklyn Vegan regarding the track, “I used to go to the beach with my family when I was a little kid. One of the things I liked most was digging holes to see what was down there. Usually, it was just sand, but sometimes there would be a nice shell or something. I wanted to write a song about that same childish desire to dig and how it has served me as I’ve grown older. I dig at lots of stuff now. I’m trying to look for things that are hard to see.”

“I wrote this song following a breakup last winter and these lyrics point at my desire to figure out what had happened to me during that time. I fell apart in the relationship and once it had ended, I found that I was starting to feel like myself again. I write music to narrate to myself what has been happening in my life. It’s kind of like a Rorschach test, I guess. I don’t know what’s up until I write about it. The way I write now is the way I used to dig back then.” Listen to the track below and pre-order the 7” here.