“Let’s hold our breath. And kiss in the deep end. ‘Till there’s no air left in our lungs. Then sink to the bottom. Where no one will find us.” These are some of the lyrics of Sunhaven‘s debut single “Night Swim.”
Sunhaven is a brand new alt-rock band based out of Long Island, New York. The band consists of Keith Ginex (lead vocals, guitar), JJ Hickey (vocals, guitar), Alex Blanc (bass), and Tyler Rowe (drums).
Throughout the last decade the guys have been ripping it up in various metalcore projects together such as Champ and Pariah (both based out of Long Island). When their former vocalist parted ways with the band in 2020, the guys decided to rebrand themselves and dive deep into the alt rock scene.
“Night Swim” is Sunhaven’s debut single and music video. In my opinion, the song is a strong entry into the scene.
It tells the story of two love interests who find themselves in a blossoming romance at a pool party. With that all too familiar question circling the air on the outcome of this romance, the song follows their nighttime adventures as they learn to just live in the moment and embrace the now.
“From an external POV, it looks like the character is enjoying simple things (swimming, star gazing, etc.) but on the inside, each of these references can also be painted in ways that symbolizes overthinking. The song illustrates the excitement of new romance, coupled with the fleeting nature of lust”, says Sunhaven.
Watch The Video for “Night Swim” Here:
The video was shot at Keith Ginex’s parents house in Northport, NY. It was directed, filmed, and edited by one of my favorite directors/cinematographers Tom Flynn who has worked with artists such as Lamb of God and All That Remains. The man always makes music video magic.
Apart from the video being a “flamingo wonderland” as I like to call it, something I really love about the video is the casting. The extras and main love interests are all close friends of Sunhaven.
In the “start up” stage of a band, having support from your friends can really help a band rise to fame. I love that the guys featured them in the video as a way to show their appreciation.
My favorite part of the video has to be the intimate experience where the two love interests emerge from the water in a kiss surrounded by everyone splashing around the pool.
Quotes from Sunhaven about “Night Swim” Video :
“As we worked on bringing the lyrics and instrumental together, a prominent scene came to mind. With a couple in an embrace as silhouettes under water, we quite literally wanted to illustrate the “kiss in the deep end” between the two characters as stated in the lyrics.”
“The climax of the song where the party goers are all splashing and celebrating as the band jams and the couple kisses is meant to be an external expression of the excitement going on inside the minds of the two characters. It is also meant to represent that no matter what chaos is going on around you, you can find solace if you are in the present moment. No thinking ahead, no looking back, just embracing what’s here right now, because though it may be gone at some point, you’ll never fully appreciate it if you harp on it’s impending departure.”
Overall I absolutely love the guys in Sunhaven and “Night Swim”. I can’t tell you how many times I find myself randomly humming the song, and I’m pretty sure half of their streams and views for “Night Swim” are from me.
If you’re a fan of Jimmy Eat World, Moose Blood, Dashboard Confessional, and Neck Deep, then I highly suggest giving them a listen. Sunhaven is just getting started!
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