By: Dakota Arsenault
For fans of laid back jazz influenced hip-hop like Chance the Rapper, The Internet, NoName and others will love what Vancouver based group Schwey is doing. They burst onto the scene last year with their single “Can’t Stop (The Groove)” and are back with their debut self titled album from 604 Records full of bangers for your ears.
Schwey is a band created out of necessity by Jacob Schwinghammer and Isaiah Dobbs. In its formative years, underground DIY venues were the only option for underage people to have a good time - the band crafted their soulful sound in the diverse yet unified underground scene, having to compete with the high energy of punk bands and clarity of rappers and DJs. Band members have come and gone, but the musicality has never faltered.
In pursuit of the most electrifying show possible, the band throws all confines of genre out the window: funk influences meld with with modern pop, and R&B fuses with swaggering hip-hop and surging indie rock. Dobbs’ playful, velvet-voiced hooks provide the focal point for ear worm dance tracks, while Schwinghammer adds sonic richness with his jazz-trained keys.
The band says of the record: “We are so so so infinitely happy that this 6 year work in progress album is coming to the ears of the people. Showcasing the power of love, friendship, and the benefits of groove.”
Make sure you listen to Schwey, wherever you get your music from!