JAWS are back with the brand new single: “Sweat”.

Hotter than the summer of 2023 that never happened, it arrives as the freshest track to emerge from their highly anticipated EP ‘If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different’ (out 15 September).

A song about how to deal with the heat when it feels like the weight of the world is bearing down, Connor Schofield of Jaws explains:

“Lyrically “Sweat” is about dealing with your anxiety in the moment, everything slowing down and trying to take it as it comes when in an overstimulating situation.”

Searching for clarity of mind through waves of undulating basslines, drifty duelling guitar breaks, and opalescent sonic textures, “Sweat” finds JAWS marrying shoegaze-like qualities to their trademark dreamy indie-pop creations and pushing their sound to intrepid new limits.

While “Sweat” itself has been an old favourite of the band for sometime, it will finally find its place on their upcoming studio effort ‘‘If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different’, alongside recent single “Are My Friends Alright?”. The first body of work by the band since 2019’s ’The Ceiling’, the new EP will also be the first to be produced entirely by Schofield. Written at 123 Studios in Peckham, the new recordings also feature input from Brett Shaw (Foals, Florence and the Machine) who provided his additional production nous to the project, plus the Grammy-nominated duo Mikko Gordon and Robin Schmidt who mixed and mastered all five of its new songs.
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Dream-pop foursome JAWS first formed in Birmingham in 2012, after vocalist Connor Schofield rallied together a handful of his friends from college and gained traction with a demo he’d posted online. Having since released two EPs and three albums including their 2014 debut ‘Be Slowly’ and 2016’s ‘Simplicity’, the band’s forthcoming EP will be their first extended offering since self-released LP ‘The Ceiling’ in 2019.

Best known for their sunny and subversive take on indie-rock, JAWS have previously supported the likes of The Twang, Peace and Spector, and are set to appear as special guests to Swim Deep at their 10th anniversary shows in Birmingham and London this month. Praised by The Guardian for creating “a rising tumult of lovely lacerating melodies and noise over a rock beat you can dance to”, the band have attracted praise from the likes of NME, DIY, Gigwise, Dork, The Line of Best Fit, Far Out Magazine, The Independent, Clash and more.

A spiralling statement of intent from a band who, more than a decade on, are continuing to evolve with a fresh sense of vigour, JAWS will release ‘If It Wasn’t For My Friends, Things Could Be Different’, their first extended work for over 4 years, on 15th September. “Sweat” is out now.

Touring in support of the EP from next month, catch JAWS at these seven UK dates as follows:

JAWS UK TOUR 2023

SEPTEMBER
25 NEWCASTLE The Cluny
26 GLASGOW King Tuts
27 MANCHESTER Club Academy
29 LONDON The Garage
30 BIRMINGHAM The Crossing

OCTOBER
02 LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
03 BRISTOL Thekla

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