Swampland took its name from the classic song by Australian punk legends the Scientists, but a lesser known fact is that the Birthday Party also penned a song called Swampland. Nick Cave’s version is as deranged and raggedy as you’d expect.
We publish all Australian content. One of our key reasons for starting the magazine was that – after previous titles like Mess+Noise fell by the wayside – we thought it was time for another long form platform dedicated specifically to Australian music to enter the scene.
We live for variety. Issue 02 includes acts as diverse as electronic duo HABITS all the way through to Spencer P Jones of Beasts of Bourbon notoriety. We aren’t interested in sticking within the lines of any particular genre, as we don’t think music listeners are anymore either.
We don’t run reviews. This may seem strange for a music magazine, but we deliberately chose to leave out the review section. We are much more interested in good storytelling than one writer’s opinion.
Print isn’t dead. It might seem counterintuitive to launch a print publication in the digital age, but Swampland is part of a global trend of independent publishers that are now able to use the tools of the internet to leverage niche titles and find a dedicated audience. Go on, take a copy on the tram, read it in the bath, leave it next to your toilet – the choice is yours.
