Midnight High is set to captivate fans of nostalgic indie pop with the release of their debut full-length album, “Swimming Lessons," on August 19, 2023. Combining elements of 80's synth pop, dream pop, and modern indie rock, Midnight High has crafted a sound that pays homage to past aesthetics while embracing contemporary production. The album showcases a mixture of live drums, electric guitar and bass, synthesizers, and layered vocal harmonies with lush, nostalgic atmospheres and soundscapes. The 6 piece live band will be celebrating with a local show at Ballard’s Tractor Tavern on the night of the release, with Byland and Lerin Herzer joining them on stage, as well as a few special guests who performed on the record.

“Midnight High creates nostalgia for moments past and not yet made. Mixing vibrant rhythms with melodies that could soundtrack an 80s film, “Swimming Lessons” beckons you to montage your own movie moments.”

— Melodic Magazine, 2023

The genesis of "Swimming Lessons" began in the spring of 2020 when Nik Singleton and Luke Dumke embarked on a creative journey to launch a new musical project with the goal of fostering artistic collaboration, community building, and shared experiences within the local Seattle music scene they had come to know and love. Their efforts resulted in a collection of ten remarkable songs that comprise their debut album.

The collaborative writing process began with Luke fleshing out instrumentation and musical arrangements for Nik to then craft lyrical and melodic ideas over. Seeking to refine their set of rough demos, Nik and Luke then enlisted Jessica Dobson, of Deep Sea Diver, to act as a sort of pre-production guide and began the collaborative process of sharpening musical ideas and arrangements. From there, they undertook the process of recording the album at the couple's recording studio, Pinehill, in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, with Luke acting as producer and engineer.

While the majority of the album’s instrumentation was written and performed by Luke, with vocal performances and arrangements by Nik, the two enlisted a few friends and Seattle musicians to help contribute a touch of collaborative energy to the process.* Once the recording process was complete, Andy D. Park (Now, Now, Pedro The Lion) was brought on to mix the album which was then finally passed along to Ed Books (Death Cab For Cutie, Minus The Bear) for mastering.

Midnight High's ability to blend nostalgic influences with a modern sonic landscape has quickly garnered them an eager audience in a relatively short time. Drawing inspiration from iconic artists of the past while forging their own distinctive sound, the band effortlessly channels a timeless sense of joy and freedom through their music. “Swimming Lessons" is a testament to their dedication to crafting electrifying and uplifting experiences for their listeners.

*Meagan Grandall (Lemolo) contributed vocal harmonies to “Domino,” “Swoon,” and “Slow Bleed.” Jessica Dobson (Deep Sea Diver) performed guitar on “Perfect Sun.” Skyler Mehal contributed guitar instrumentation to “Forever” and “Slow Bleed,” synth pad layers to “Avenue” and “Swoon,” and atmospheric guitar ambience to “Domino.” Jessie Siren contributed lyrical phrases and vocal melodies to “Domino,” “Perfect Sun,” “Higher,” “Slow Bleed,” and “Golden Chains.” Tim Van Buren performed guitar on “Forever” and “Do It To Me,” the guitar solo on “Avenue,” and bridge guitar effects on “Swoon.” Eric Vanderbilt-Matthews contributed saxophone to “Do It To Me” and flute to “Swoon.”