Song of the Day: The Veils - Swimming With Crocodiles

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Midday Show with Cheryl Waters, is "Swimming With Crocodiles" by The Veils, from their 2016 album, Total Depravity, on Nettwerk.

The Veils - Swimming With Crocodiles (MP3)These are dark nights indeed, but as we fall off the apex of the Winter Solstice, there's nowhere we'd rather be than in Finn Andrews' depraved embrace. Total Depravity, that is - Andrews' fifth album with The Veils, and on it the New Zealand-born songwriter croons and growls through another noirish set of atmospheric rock songs. But this time, The Veils open up to more beat- and synth-driven possibilities thanks to El-P of Run The Jewels, who joins as co-producer. While Depravity can get downright dirty, today's featured song, "Swimming With Crocodiles", sweeps off the usual grit into a moody lament. Over a languid late-night beat, Finn's sorrowful swoon finds solace in the pain he already knows, sure that even though "they're sinking in their teeth tonight", swimming with the crocodiles is "still the safest place to stay". It's all so hopelessly alluring, we're ready to get pulled down right with him.

Alas, if you were hoping to plumb those depths with Finn Andrews and The Veils, you'll have to wait. The band was in Seattle just last month. They have a few shows in NZ and The Netherlands scheduled for early 2017, but there are no plans yet to return to The States. Until they do, be sure to look for more music on The Veils' website and Facebook page, and look out for videos recorded by KEXP when they were recently in our studio. For now, watch their fiendish video for Total Depravity track "Low Lays The Devil":