Swim School

Formed in Edinburgh in 2018, Swim School have become one of Scotland’s most exciting alternative rock bands. Built around Alice Johnson, Lewis Bunting, Billy McMahon and Lee Brown, the band fuse shoegaze, grunge, dream-pop and anthemic indie into something distinctly their own. After three acclaimed EPs and relentless touring, festival appearances and support slots with artists including Biffy Clyro, Suede and Grandson, Swim School released their self-titled debut album in 2025. Their music balances huge guitars and visceral live energy with vulnerability, melody and emotional honesty, establishing them as a powerful new voice in Scottish guitar music.

Swim School

Swim School’s self-titled debut is the sound of a young Scottish band coming fully into their own. Nine tracks move effortlessly between hazy shoegaze, grunge-inflected guitars, dream-pop textures and huge indie anthems, anchored by Alice Johnson’s distinctive, emotionally charged vocals. Produced by Iain Berryman, the album captures both the exhilaration and uncertainty of growing into yourself, with songs about desire, self-worth, longing and ambition. Darker, heavier and more assured than the band’s earlier work, it feels lived-in rather than manufactured. Released independently through LAB Records, it reached No.4 on the Official Scottish Albums Chart.