Harrison Lipton Releases New Single “Synchronized Swimming”
Today, Brooklyn-based musical multihyphenate Harrison Lipton releases his smooth, effortlessly sultry single “Synchronized Swimming.” Exploring romance coyly nestled within the metaphor of synchronized swimming, listeners witness Lipton’s proven songwriting and production talent in raw form. Complete with dusty piano, laid-back Khruangbin-like drums, and an underwater guitar solo, the final touch is the perfect pairing of background vocals from MICHELLE’s Layla Kuriloff
Lipton’s vivid storytelling crafts a tale of a languid summer romance, while the buttery, self-produced concoction of 70s soft rock, indie, soul and R&B perfectly support his unique vocal dexterity as he sings the track’s hook in his silky, airy falsetto. “It happens when you close your eyes / then you start to recognize / you and I were synchronized swimming.” Joined by close collaborator Ian Bakerman of Phony Ppl, the two engineered the track, and much of the upcoming music, between their two studios.
On the inspiration behind “Synchronized Swimming,” Lipton explains, “This song has been in the works for six years. I’ve tried finishing it so many times, but it was going back to the thesis of the song –– the tenderness of two lovers falling in sync with each other –– that helped me figure out how to make the rest of the song feel like that one indelible moment.”
The captivating accompanying music video, directed by Anima Works (Moses Sumney, Parquet Courts), shows a bizarrely transformed Lipton as a cowboy-meets-aquatic creature; like something out of Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water melded with Post Malone’s recent country-leaning aesthetics. Calling upon Izzi Galindo, a SFX makeup and prosthetics artist known for working with major artists such as The Weeknd, Lipton’s transformation transfixes viewers in an eerie yet still romantic subtext to “Synchronized Swimming”
Fresh on the heels of landing major songwriting and production credits for indie-rock sensation Yot Club and Atlantic Records six-piece MICHELLE, among others, Lipton has made a name for himself as a rapidly ascending, go-to creative collaborator. His recent work as a songwriter and producer has earned him shoutouts in HYPEBEAST, The Line of Best Fit, and Sirius XM’s Life with John Mayer.
Now shifting the focus to his own releases, “Synchronized Swimming” shows that Lipton is ready to break through as an all-around talent. Marking the start of a new chapter, the meticulously crafted single is a testament to Lipton’s ability to break down genre-confining walls as he begins this new, eclectic sonic era, solidifying himself as an artist to watch in 2024 and beyond.
Press photo by Eciaus Booth