What’s the best £20 you’ve ever spent? For Russell Swallow the answer is clear. He was 14 when he wandered into a Salvation Army shop in Suffolk, spotted a guitar and took it home. He taught himself to write songs, became one half of London’s Swallow and the Wolf, and opened for acts like Dodgy and Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
Now he’s moved on again, going solo and splitting his time between London and Berlin, expanding his soundscape as he is inspired by the latter’s ambient tones. “I’ve found a lot of peace of mind in Berlin,” he said. “Life is affordable there, so instead of chasing rent (which I was doing in London), I’m comfortable and have time and space to stretch myself as a writer – to experiment, collaborate, make mistakes, play on the streets and perform throughout the city.”
After last year’s release of the A.M. – B.P.M. EP, Russell has spent the summer releasing a selection of new tracks, and we’re delighted to premiere the latest, ‘Save Me A Kiss’ – a dreamy tune in the English singer-songwriter tradition, but subtly bookended by Berlin’s distinctive tones.
You can catch Russell live later this summer:
August 16th – Sunset Sounds, London Wildlife Trust, London
August 23rd – Guildhall, Norwich
September 4th – The Finsbury, London
September 20th – Artliners, Berlin