Catchy, memorable, distinctive, and so unapologetically his own.
“The Crippling Pain of Happiness” is the second studio album from Swiss Portrait. Michael Kay Terence is the man behind the distinctive sound of Swiss Portrait who, along with fellow Scottish artists, perform very memorable shows. The Edinburgh based identity is made unique by Terence’s signature DIY approach to his songs. Each song has been written, played and produced independently. Dream-pop and indie are the foundations for this second album, which follows on from 2021 release “Familiar Patterns“. Throughout 2023, three singles from this album were released: ‘All I Want‘, ‘Before‘, and ‘Paper Houses‘. The latter was the most recent production.
What makes this 8 track album so special is the conversational concept of it. Within each track, there is an experience and a feeling that will be shared among lots of us. The process that Swiss Portrait seem to have adopted is one where their own experiences become the journey of each track, and the overall album. This can provide a sense of vulnerability, but also comfort and relatability as others will be going through the same thing. Overall, the album has an incredibly laidback and chilled feel, with Terence’s light vocals providing a sense of dreamy escapism, and relaxation. Halfway through the album, there is the track ‘I know‘. At 1:15, it serves almost as an interlude, providing very light and echoey sounds. It gives the mind a break, allowing it to be floated and temporarily transported elsewhere.
Common themes in this album include the serenity provided with the light and airy vocals, as previously mentioned. However, the continuation of such a calm and tranquil mood is met with a chirpier, upbeat, yet still fitting song, ‘All I Want‘. Released as one of the singles, this tune provides the same gentle and soothing sound but with a brighter twist. Final track ‘Too Bad‘ provides a summary of the album. It contains musical similarities to the first half of the album, also bringing in the brightness of other songs.
Throughout listening, there were some artists with the same musical feel that came to mind. Along with bands like Wolf Alice, this primarily included Wunderhorse. With very easy to follow singing from Jacob Slater (Wunderhorse), vocals in this album were like his in the sense that they made for delightfully soothing listening. Even with slight musical and vocal similarities to other artists, Swiss portrait has provided music so catchy, memorable, and distinctive that makes it so unapologetically his own.
‘The Crippling Pain of Happiness‘ has already been critically acclaimed and supported by publications such as Next Wave, The Skinny, and Clash Magazine. It is incredible to see local talents with dedication and determination like Swiss Portrait receiving the recognition they truly deserve. This is an album that will sound amazing live as well as played for casual listening.