Afloat – Special | Single Premiere
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Head Above Water Collective
At this point, the word “emo” is not super helpful as a descriptor for what a band actually sounds like. When you hear that a band is an “emo band,” you start to ask yourself, are we talking early post-hardcore emo? Noodly twinkle stuff? Sad power pop? In our current era, the answer usually ends up being a mix of all of the above, maybe even with some skramz or butt rock influences thrown in for good measure. As someone who is a big fan of the genre and its many permutations, I’m pretty happy about this; I love seeing how new bands take this wide set of emo ingredients and mix them up to create something totally their own.
One group whose take on the genre I particularly enjoy is New Jersey’s Afloat. I was introduced to the band about a year ago through their EP Where I Stand, a great collection of songs with a post-hardcore edge and melodies that are pure pop. I’ve been waiting somewhat impatiently for new music from the group, and I’m happy to report that they’re back with the new track “Special,” which serves as one half of a split they’re putting out with Dummy Pass on May 23rd. This split is being released by Head Above Water Collective, a group started by Afloat’s Gabby Relos back in 2022 to provide performance opportunities for Jersey bands after a venue many had been playing at shut down unexpectedly. Now established in the live show world, Relos and bandmate Josh Rubeo are expanding the collective’s mission to include recording and demo distribution, hoping to put on for a scene that is sometimes overshadowed by their neighbors in Philly. This split will serve as the collective’s first official release of original music.
“Special” finds Afloat picking up right where they left off on Where I Stand; it’s a great-sounding song with killer bass lines, strong vocal harmonies, and cutting guitars that pull you in like a lasso. Because Relos has such a strong voice, Afloat is able to do some really cool things with the instrumentals and arrangements on the track without having to worry about her getting overpowered; it’s a song that rewards multiple listens, and I kept finding new things I liked about it each time I put it on.
Though the split doesn’t officially drop until May 23rd, we here at Swim Into The Sound are very excited to provide you with an early chance to listen to “Special.” Listen to the track below, and don’t forget to check out the full split with Dummy Pass when it drops on Friday.
Josh Ejnes is a writer and musician living in Chicago. He has a blog about cassette tapes called Tape Study that you can find here, and he also makes music under the name Cutaway Car.
