New Music: Swiss Portrait – Always

On Always, Scottish musician Swiss Portrait pairs a DIY aesthetic to a dreampop sound and some deeply personal lyrics. A meditation of loss, the solo project of Michael Kay Terence deals with a difficult subject sensitively.

The song, which Terence reveals is about the death of his brother, draws from a similar palette to artists like Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, and Beach House.

It skews more to the latter two acts, however, as the vocals lie at the centre of each song, and each element of the arrangement has room to breathe, heightening their sonic and emotional impact.

Always features on The Crippling Pain of Happiness, the latest album from Swiss Portrait, which you can pick up on Bandcamp

You can also listen to The Crippling Pain of Happiness on all major streaming platforms including Apple Music and Deezer, plus the LP can be viewed and heard in its entirety below.

Swiss Portrait plays The Georgian Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees on the 18th of November. For ticket details, check out the artist’s Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram socials.