Swerp Records announced today their official launch lineup and collective release date of May 22nd, in an advance video at www.SwerpRecords.com. Much like a indie-rock Odd Future, the artists of Swerp Records share members, musical virtuosity, collaborative shows, and a warped sense of humor. The label, featuring a collection of seven of Chicago’s finest underground artists, represents the first formal releases from any of these groups.

“I had never heard of any of these bands before but after listening to their soundcloud sampler reel I knew there was something special going on here. There is an unusually high percentage of awesomeness, and I found that the ambition and energy apparent [...] extended to these other bands.” said Farsheed Hamidi-Toosi of Soapbox Music (http://soapboxchicago.com/). “What really grabbed me was the raw energy and musical exploration I was hearing.”

Swerp Records comes from the little-known Chicago south suburban musical community, a lost branch of the city’s musical family tree. For the last six years, the bands of the south suburban scene built a rich history of exceptional musicianship and infamous shows, yet functioned entirely without promotion or representation. Loosely guided by multi-instrumentalist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya (The Para-Medics, Water House, Nervous Passenger, Sooper Secret Side Project) and drummer Brendan Smyth (Water House, Freudian Slip, Nervous Passenger), Swerp’s launch includes three all-new albums, two remastered albums, and new forthcoming releases. Read the rest of this entry →