The Things That Keep You Up at Night: Midnight Swim Dive Deep on Heartbreak, Growth, and Their Debut Album

The Things That Keep You Up at Night: Midnight Swim Dive Deep on Heartbreak, Growth, and Their Debut Album

Manchester-adjacent alternative rock outfit Midnight Swim have spent years refining their sound, blending the emotional honesty of early 2000s pop punk and emo with the polished edge of modern alternative rock. Drawing inspiration from bands such as Blink-182, New Found Glory, Paramore, The Starting Line, and countless Warped Tour favorites, the UK outfit has crafted a debut album steeped in memories, heartbreak, frustration, longing, and self-reflection.

At the heart of Midnight Swim are vocalist Jack Valentine and guitarist Danny Heaton, who recently sat down with Highwire Daze to discuss their hometown roots, their journey from previous projects into Midnight Swim, working with Steel City Studios, collaborating with guest vocalists, and the emotional thread that ties the album together. Along the way, they revealed why America has always represented a dream destination and why this record is ultimately about “the things that keep you up at night.”

From Wigan to Manchester

First of all, introduce yourselves and tell me what you do in Midnight Swim.
Jack Valentine: I’m Jack, and I handle vocals.

Danny Heaton: I’m Danny. I play guitar and help out with songwriting and production.

Where are you based out of, and what’s your local music scene like?
Jack Valentine: Most of us come from a small town called Wigan, which sits between Manchester and Liverpool. We generally consider Manchester our musical home because Wigan is a smaller town and tends to be associated with a very specific sound that’s quite well known in the UK. What we do musically doesn’t necessarily fit into that mold, so Manchester has always felt like the better fit for us.

The Manchester music scene is fantastic. Obviously, so many iconic artists have come from the city over the years. One of the biggest advantages is the variety of venues available. You can play a packed room of 30 people one night, and then dream of working your way up to venues that hold 20,000 people or even stadiums with capacities of 60,000.

We’re really fortunate to have a city with so many opportunities for emerging artists to develop, grind it out, and steadily work their way up through the ranks.

Life Before Midnight Swim

Before Midnight Swim, what projects were you involved with?
Danny Heaton: For me, I was involved in several bands over the years that were probably more in the Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls vein. Jack and I were actually in a band together before Midnight Swim called Yesteryears. We started that project right before COVID.

The sound was similar to what we’re doing now, but we only managed to play one show before the pandemic shut everything down. Three years later, we decided it was time to start fresh, reform with the right lineup, and create Midnight Swim.

I’ve played in various bands through the years, but they’ve generally all fallen somewhere within that alternative rock spectrum.

Jack Valentine: I grew up listening to bands like Blink-182, New Found Glory, and The Starting Line. I was heavily into the Drive-Thru Records era, and later bands from labels like Fueled By Ramen, including Paramore and Fall Out Boy.

I’ve always loved that American pop-punk and emo scene. I think all of our experiences in previous bands have blended together and become this collection of influences that make up our sound today.

The other guys, Liam, Matty, and Matt, all bring their own influences to the table as well. We’ve spent years playing in different bands within the same scene, crossing paths and overlapping along the way. Now we’ve finally ended up together in one band and found the right group of people to create the record we’ve all wanted to make for a long time.

Making a full album together was always the goal, and now we’ve been able to do it with the right lineup.

Opening Strong With “Tease”

Let’s talk about a few songs from the album. The opening track, “Tease,” really grabs your attention in an epic way. Tell me about that song and the inspiration behind it.
Jack Valentine: We’d been writing constantly, and having this lineup gave us a lot more time to really focus on developing ideas. “Tease” started with a riff from Matt. As soon as we heard it, we knew there was a hook there.

Most of our songs come together very organically. We’re not the type of band that writes separately and then pieces everything together later. We get into a rehearsal room and create as a unit. Ideas evolve naturally from there.

One thing we learned from previous studio experiences was how important it is to trim the fat and keep songs engaging as they develop. We tried to apply that mindset throughout the album.

Lyrically, “Tease” comes from personal experiences and situationships. It’s about those moments when you reconnect with someone you know you probably shouldn’t. Both people know it’s not going anywhere serious, but there’s still an attraction there. It’s that “one more time for old times’ sake” mentality.

The song is really about returning to something that’s familiar even when you know it probably isn’t good for you.

Finding Catharsis in “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”

“I Don’t Want to Talk About It” was the lead single. Tell me about that one.
Jack Valentine: Sorry Danny, I keep jumping in on these questions. (Laughs.)

When we were writing this record, I always described our goal as creating an A-to-Z spectrum of sound. Some songs live on the lighter side of the alphabet while others lean toward the heavier end. This track definitely falls closer to that heavier side.

Once again, it started with a riff that immediately felt bigger and more aggressive. As the song developed, I found myself writing about the state of the world and the frustrations many people are feeling.

Sometimes it feels like society has made incredible progress, yet we still find ways to take steps backwards. The song came from that sense of frustration, from looking around and asking, “Is this really where we are?“

It’s about wanting to escape all that negativity and feeling overwhelmed by everything happening around you.

When we got to the end of the song, we didn’t want to simply repeat another chorus. We challenged ourselves to create something bigger. We started with the bass, layered in the vocals, added the guitars, then brought in the gang vocals. The energy kept building and building.

By the final chorus, all of us were crammed into the vocal booth shouting along. Then while listening back, Matty threw in this spontaneous vocal yell. We all loved it, so we went back and recorded it.

When we play the song live, it almost feels therapeutic. It’s a great release. Whatever frustrations you’re carrying around, it’s the perfect song to let them out and leave them on the stage.

Closing the Album With “Like You Love To”

Let’s go to the end of the album with “Like You Love To.” Tell me about the final track and why you chose it to close the record.
Jack Valentine: When we were writing the album, we kept coming back to records like Paramore’s self-titled album and Chroma by Cartel. Both albums end with these huge, memorable finales that also reference earlier moments on the record.

We wanted a closer that felt like a proper ending while also giving us space to build an extended outro. That’s why the track runs about five and a half minutes.

Lyrically, it’s inspired by a lot of my experiences over the last few years. There have been situationships, disappointments, and things that didn’t quite work out, and a lot of that found its way into the song.

One thing I really love about it is the contrast between the verses and the chorus. The verses have this aggressive, punchy energy, while the chorus lifts into something bright, melodic, and incredibly catchy.

To me, that contrast represents the album as a whole. It showcases the pop sensibilities we have while still incorporating some grit and edge.

Then there’s the extended outro, which references lyrics and melodies from elsewhere on the album. We wanted everything to come full circle and create a real sense of closure.

The record opens with footsteps introducing the listener into the world of the album, and it closes with the drums gradually compressing and fading away. We wanted the ending to feel deliberate, like we’d really thought about how to bring the journey to a close.

The Steel City Studios Experience

The album was produced by Callum Benson at Steel City Studios. How did working with Callum influence your sound?
Danny Heaton: The biggest thing about Steel City is the relationship we’ve built there over the years. Jack had known Callum and Phil, who owns the studio, long before we ever recorded there as a band.

Back when we were still Yesteryears, we recorded our first EP there and immediately felt comfortable. Callum, Phil, Jay, everybody there created a really positive environment.

What they do exceptionally well is bring out the best in you. They’re constantly encouraging experimentation and helping you discover ideas you may not have found on your own.

By the time we started talking about making a full album as Midnight Swim, going back to Steel City felt like the obvious choice. They’re not just collaborators anymore. They’re friends.

There’s a comfort level that allows you to be completely yourself creatively, and on top of that, Callum consistently gets great sounds out of the band.

Rebuilding “The Last Song I’ll Write for You”

You also worked with Deaf Havana vocalist James Veck-Gilodi on “The Last Song I’ll Write for You.” What did he bring to that track?
Danny Heaton: That session was quite different from how we normally work.

Usually we’ll try to record a song in a day, but for this one we spent two full days with James.

The first day wasn’t even really about recording. It was about taking the song apart and rebuilding it from the ground up. It was the first time we’d completely deconstructed one of our songs before putting it back together.

One of James’ biggest contributions was all the atmospheric elements. He added synth textures, piano parts, and ambient layers that really elevated the track and gave it a richer, more immersive quality.

“In the Rain, By The Car” Featuring Shannon Gillespie

Let’s talk about “In the Rain, By The Car” featuring Shannon Gillespie. Tell me about Shannon and how that collaboration came together.
Jack Valentine: Shannon is a good friend of the band, especially Matty and Matt, who knew her through various projects and from being part of the local scene.

For a long time, we’d talked about bringing guest vocalists onto our songs. When Shannon’s name came up, everything just seemed to fall into place.

Knowing there would be another vocalist involved actually influenced the songwriting. The verses became much more of a call-and-response conversation. I ask a question, she answers it, and then we reverse those roles later in the song.

She’s an incredibly talented artist and songwriter. Vocally, her voice complements mine perfectly. There’s something about pairing a female voice with a male voice that naturally adds another dimension to a song.

She joined us onstage at our hometown show last night, and she’s also opening our album launch show next month. Naturally, we’ll bring her back onstage to perform the song with us.

It added another layer to the album and helped expand the record’s overall scope and depth.

Dreaming of America

Has Midnight Swim ever been to the States, or is that something you’d like to do in the future?
Jack Valentine: We’ve never been, but for most of us it would absolutely be a dream come true. We grew up loving American music and so many of the bands that inspired us came from the U.S.

If any American band ever wanted to take five fools from Wigan out on the road, we’d be more than happy to jump on a plane and come over.

Danny Heaton: I think our sound naturally leans toward an American style as well. To be honest, I sometimes feel like our target audience may be more in America than in the UK right now because of the style of music we’re making.

As I was listening to the record, I kept thinking Midnight Swim would fit perfectly on a future Warped Tour lineup.
Jack Valentine: We’d absolutely love that.

Danny Heaton: That would be the dream.

The Things That Keep You Up at Night

If someone listens to the album from beginning to end, what emotional journey do you hope they experience?
Jack Valentine: I’ve always described these songs as “the things that keep you up at night.”

They’re about the memories, frustrations, heartbreaks, desires, and emotions that appear when you’re finally trying to go to sleep and your mind won’t switch off.

A lot of the lyrics come from personal experiences. Sometimes they’re very literal and sometimes they’re dramatized for the sake of the song.

What I really hope is that people connect with the songs and see pieces of themselves in them.

For example, “The Last Song I’ll Write About You” is very much about drawing a line under a situation and deciding that you’re no longer going to allow it to haunt you. Writing the song was my way of letting those feelings go.

I think most people have experienced at least some of these emotions, which makes the album relatable. Hopefully listeners hear those stories and find some connection to their own experiences.

A Message to American Fans

Final question. Do you have a message for U.S. fans who may be discovering Midnight Swim for the first time?
Jack Valentine: First of all, thank you for listening and for taking the time to discover us.

I’d just say keep an eye on what we’re doing. We genuinely love making music together, and we’re incredibly proud of this record.

Hopefully, if the album connects with enough people and opportunities come our way, we’ll get the chance to bring these songs to the States and play them for audiences there. We’d absolutely love to do that.

For anyone who enjoys discovering music from outside their own backyard and supporting international bands, we hope this record resonates with you.

Hopefully you’ll enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it.

In Conclusion

Midnight Swim may hail from Wigan and operate out of the thriving Manchester music scene, but their heart clearly beats in time with the emotionally charged pop punk, emo, and alternative rock records that defined an entire generation. Throughout this conversation, Jack Valentine and Danny Heaton reveal a band built not only on shared influences but also on genuine friendship, artistic growth, and a determination to create something meaningful.

The result is a debut album filled with soaring hooks, honest reflection, and the kind of emotional vulnerability that keeps listeners coming back for another spin. Whether exploring heartbreak, frustration, longing, or personal redemption, Midnight Swim have crafted a collection of songs designed to soundtrack those quiet hours when sleep won’t come and your thoughts are loudest.

And if American audiences embrace the record the way they hope, perhaps those five fools from Wigan won’t be traveling overseas for very long. For fans of classic Warped Tour-era emotion wrapped in a fresh modern package, Midnight Swim may be a band worth diving into right now.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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