Swirl were a Sydney, Australia-based indie rock band. They formed around 1990, released three albums: their debut Aurora (around 1991), which was mostly rock with some shoegazer elements (such as extensive use of guitar fuzz and reverb on vocals). Their next album, 1994's The Last Unicorn went further into shoegazing territory, with layered, feedback-washed guitar solos and ambient instrumental tracks between songs; it also featured a guest performance by Lara Goodridge, later of the FourPlay String Quartet, on violin. In subsequent years, Swirl released a few EPs and played live in Sydney, Melbourne and other Australian cities.

Their last album, Light Fill My Room, was released in 2001 on independent record label Um & Ah; it had been recorded a few years earlier and financed by Festival Mushroom Records, though the major label dropped them, and the release was thus held up. Light Fill My Room was a more polished, radio-friendly affair; it had elements of Swirl's shoegazing sound, but also had saccharine ballads and even a children's choir in one song. Swirl broke up in December of 2002; the various members are pursuing other musical projects.

Discography

Albums

• Aurora album (1991?)
• The Last Unicorn album (1994)
• The Last Unicorn album (1995, Half A Cow/Polydor)
• Light Fill My Room album (2001, Um & Ah)

EPs

• The Last Unicorn EP (1995)
• On My Own EP
• Time EP

Compilations

Half A Cow "Compilation" - (1993, HAC28)

Trivia

• The Last Unicorn was released twice, in 1994 and in 1995, on two different labels (the 1995 release was on Half A Cow); the two releases had different track orders.

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