Max Swan

When he's not moving donuts and chicken, Philly-based saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and singer Max Swan is moving R&B, jazz and hip-hop-influenced jams across the airwaves. After his jazz residency at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia last year, Swan began to work on his upcoming EP, The Fisherman. He's been releasing one song at a time from it, plus a recent cover of Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids." "The Waters" captures Swan's fountain of influences perfectly, exhibiting signs of Kanye West, Ray Charles and James Blake. "The Waters" starts off with a dramatic, tension-filled string arrangement, then pulls you in with a memorable, "turn the lights down" hook. — Bruce Warren, WXPN - NPR

Boundaries don't exist when it comes to Max Swan's music. The Philadelphia based songwriter refuses to stay in any singular lane. Instead, he'd rather blend them all together. Watch as Swan travels effortlessly between worlds of R&B, jazz, and electronica on this live performance of "155", a song from his album The Fisherman. Recorded at The Back Room in Philadelphia, check out his ability to be a musical multitasker — from his vocal performance to engineering the sampler to the soaring sax solo at the end. Let's just say that when Swan finds a groove, he dives in deep and compels you to do the same. – Mike Vasilikos - NPR

On “Shackles,” Max Swan moves in sweeping synths and horn bursts.

A heavy slice of maximalist R&B, Swan’s newest single pulls no punches, heavy beats paving the way for wailing saxophones and vamping keys. His lyrics plunge the depths of the past, waxing on the titular “shackles” of the past that hold tight about his wrists. There’s a power to the patient precision of his words — “my pain, my tragedy, the man I used to be / these shackles fit my wrist, still so perfectly,” is a taut opener, and, “if they wasn’t so tight, I think they’d be okay / but I’m not alright, though I wonder every day,” segues perfectly to a beautiful chorus. The strength he projects is so confident, it feels as though the ornate instrumental has been carved about these bars.

There’s beauty in the might of “Shackles,” both musical and thematic. Constant glances in the rear view fog the windshield, the future less assured than ever, but there’s something in Max’s song that suggests closure. It might be the soaring saxophone, or maybe the propulsive beats, but his want to move forward feels realized as he admits a minor development: “I think I’ll be okay, but I’m not alright.”

In slipping the surly bonds of his past, Max Swan has moved closer to knowledge of self — and, if you let “Shackles” take over, you might just feel yourself shift a little closer too. - Central Sauce

I’ll be honest here: I’d only heard Max Swan’s “Shackles” and “Runaway” from his recently-released Slow Jail at the time of deciding to write this piece. That said, those two songs on opposite sides of the musical spectrum told me all I needed to know about the project (above). It’s an incredible collection of work that runs the gamut in terms of influences and, perhaps more importantly, soul.

On “Runaway,” Swan evokes Prince’s falsetto and funky instrumentation. Meanwhile, on “Shackles,” he hops on a bit of a boisterous rap-esque instrumental to provide us some honest and self-aware lyricism. Now the rest of the album isn’t a slouch either. Instead, it serves as a very soulful and beautiful mix between jazzy instrumentation, retro vocals and modern hip-hop sensibilities.

On songs such as “Filler,” the Philly native sings about a doomed relationship and what happens when the dream is gone and the luster has faded. The production on this one reminds me a bit of a 90s R&B song, specifically because of the boombap of the drums and the simple chords played throughout the song. Add in the vocals sounding like a mix between Tyrese and Sam Smith, and you’ve got one hell of a song. In fact, you’ve got one helluva project when you run it from top to bottom.

As mentioned, the influences and sounds run wide and deep. I know it’s cliched to say that there’s something for everyone here, but there truly is something for everyone on this project. Slow burner? Check. Upbeat bop? Check. Introspection? You betcha. A bit of existentialist thought about the self? Yeah, there’s even some of that here as well.

Don’t just take my word for it. I mean, listen to me and listen to this. However, it’s one of those projects that’s better experienced than just read about. Check it out above and remember to support dope music in all its forms. - Speed On The Beat

Showing us what's good by way of Philadelphia, singer-songwriter, genre-bending recording artist, and producer Max Swan deepens the groove with his recent hit, "Filler."

Max Swan recently released his 10-track album, 'Slow Jail,' reflecting themes of unexpected loss, newfound strength, escapism, self-discovery, and grief. The album's halfway track, "Filler," perfectly enhances these themes while Max Swan showcases his heartfelt performance alongside the heaviest and most sensual 'electro-soul' sonics and instrumentation.

Delving into our favorite song of the album, "Filler," we're met with a hard-hitting and airy mid-tempo drum break alongside fluid and fluttery synths and heavy piano chords that sink the song's atmosphere into a deep, dark place. As Max Swan makes his sweet and savory vocal appearance, he begins to serenade us with his emotional words that ponder love's confusion, bitterness, and the distance between two lovers in a tumultuous relationship.

We genuinely can't get enough of the song's dense production and instrumentation; it offers perfect elements of psychedelia alongside contemporary electronic and the grooviest r&b. The song's atmosphere is to die for, and Max Swan makes the listening experience much more cathartic with his honest, vulnerable words that anyone can relate to. As he grooves towards the outro, Max Swan leaves us craving more sensual and chilling tracks like this.

Do yourself a favor and dive into the depths of love with Max Swan's recent hit, "Filler," and find his latest album, 'Slow Jail,' on all digital streaming platforms. - BuzzMusic LA

3. Change Your Mind - Live by Max Swan
An important and integral part of a healthy and long-lasting relationship is being able to admit when you are wrong. In this song by Max Swan, we can remember that even if we slip, our love can stay strong and true. — SG - Philadelphia Inquierer

Earlier this fall, we showed you an eerie juxtaposition from the mind of Max Swan – the black-and-white, abandoned streets of Philadelphia, set to a bright and nostalgic rendition of Henry Mancini’s 1967 song, “Two For the Road.”

That single finds itself on Swan’s new Gone Away EP (released Oct. 30). True to form, Swan bends genres and bares his soul – this time, on a record that explores the humanity in our flaws, and the disconnects that arise within our relationships.

We begin with the title track. “Gone Away” eases us in with a gentle electrosoul vibe, made complete by the sound of crashing waves. Swan’s vocal comes in around the 1:40 mark, pleading with the tide to stay in just a bit longer. The “waves” which roll away are open to interpretation to the listener, but represent a loss of momentum – either in love, or in life.

Sonically, things turn more upbeat on “Apologies.” Still, Swan’s lyrics tell the story of a man reflecting on his past mistakes, their resulting loneliness, and the feeling of being a burden to the people closest to us in times of darkness.

Left to face reality on his own, closing track “Leanin’” presents our protagonist slowly, but surely, slipping into a spiral without the love whom he holds dear.

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m slippin’
More than the day before
If only we could stick together
I would stay upright for sure.”

The future soul soundscape on “Leanin’” is given a vintage touch by way of Swan’s saxophone, which adds a flavor of smooth jazz to the tune. - Underground Collective

Max Swan from Philadelphia refuses to be confined by and one genre, each of his tracks pulls in grooves from jazz, jazz-fusion, hip-hop and more. His sleek voice and wicked saxophone on this track truly touch the soul. As a self-made multi-instrumentalist and producer of his own material, his inspiration from the likes of Frank Ocean and Tom Misch is not misplaced. Max’s upcoming EP ‘Gone Away’ is out October 30th. - Totally Wired

In all likelihood, you’ve never seen the streets of Philadelphia quite like this.

Genre-bending Philly native Max Swan released a music video to accompany his take on the 1967 Henry Mancini classic, “Two For The Road.” The hopeful, harmony-rich ballad — updated by Swan with sprinkled-in touches of modern pop — is a tune about stress-free, life-long companionship. In this instance, however, it is contrasted by visuals of Philadelphia’s abandoned public spaces taken during quarantine.

“I’d like people to utilize this music as time to reflect,” Swan said. “‘Two For The Road’ (or affectionately nicknamed ‘2fer’) was started and finished during the first month after the quarantine began in America, with the tradeoff of ‘2fer’ being such a beautiful piece of music under such eerie circumstantial context. (That is) what makes it so peculiar.”

The video was directed by Chris White, who used drone footage to capture the eerie emptiness of a once-bustling metropolis.

“There was a strange beauty in the quiet and stillness of everything. It was like time had slowed down to a crawl, and we were all living in this eerie shadow of our lives that had all simultaneously changed,” White noted. “I think that same feeling is mirrored in the music. It has this mix of beauty and ghostly nostalgia to it.”

Swan adds, “’As long as love still wears a smile, I know, that we’ll be two for the road, and that’s a long, long while.’ Hearing those words, while wondering if this is ever going back to what it was before, it stands the hairs up on the back of your neck.” - Underground Collective

During his senior year at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Max Swan endured every instrumentalist’s worst nightmare: a broken hand.

The injury, sustained while playing basketball, could have sidelined Swan from music indefinitely. But instead, the jazz player decided to put those six to eight weeks with his cast on to good use.

He played the five chromatic notes he was able to with his other hand, over and over again. Then, he started fiddling with the music engineering softwares on his university-issued MacBook.

He started making beats, and got a MIDI controller keyboard to further expand his capabilities. Around the same time, he started experimenting with an electronic wind instrument.

Those elements helped infuse Swan’s sound from heady, instrumental jazz to a more modern take on the genre infused with R&B and funk. The sounds blend seamlessly in Swan’s work, and it’s hard to tell where one influence stops and another begins.

“It’s not as hard to make music that sounds current as it is to take influences that are deeply personal to you from back in the day ... and to translate them with the technology of today,” Swan says. “To play something from the same soulful feeling, it’s so enabling.”

Swan will play his distinctive style of music at Tellus360 on Saturday. He’ll be joined by a bassist, drummer and three trombone players.

Swan, who still lives in Philadelphia, was raised in Perkasie, Bucks County. His parents were supportive of his musical endeavors as a kid, but emphasized structure. If he wanted to play saxophone in the school band, his mom insisted he attend one-on-one lessons, too.

“I am so thankful that she started me learning from somebody one on one from the jump, because it gave me so much more clarity and understanding,” Swan says.

He found confidence and gratification through jazz competitions. He loved singing too, and participated in his church’s choir. But after singing a solo, his classmates made fun of him.


“It immediately removed any possibility in my mind that I would be interested in singing at all,” Swan says.

So, he focused on playing sax. Singing wouldn’t return to his life in a big way until after college, when he experimented with adding vocals to “So Much Chime."

Audiences were notably more captivated during “So Much Chime” than Swan's strictly instrumental songs. But after devoting so much time to instrumental music, he worried if making such a big musical shift was the right move.

“I don’t want to let anyone down that’s super supportive of instrumental music,” Swan says. “I am too. But when you have words to grab on to, there’s a human aspect to the music that really sticks out.”

He found validation he was on the right path when he was awarded a residency at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. There, he released “Fisherman,” his first album to fully integrate vocals and electronic elements with his jazz background. Swan also hosted the series “Mono//Poly” at the theater, in which he collaborates with other artists. A past participant: Lancaster’s own Tuck Ryan. Swan has collaborated with Lancaster guitarist Andy Mowatt, too.

These days, Swan’s feeling pretty good about where his musical journey has taken him. He’s aware of his tendency to overanalyze, and tries to keep that habit at bay to allow himself creativity without unnecessary doubts.

“Paralysis by analysis is very, very real,” Swan says.

But as of late, he’s had a string of very good days, staying up until the wee hours of the morning and relishing that inspiration while he’s got it.

“I believe I am my best self today making music,” Swan says. - Lancaster Online

One of our recent, notable musical discoveries was Philly-based multi-instrumental, multi-genre artist Max Swan.

With a musical discipline rooted in jazz and influences from across the board, Max Swan delivered a smooth, vibey set to open up for Phillip Phillips during our trip to Musikfest this past weekend. With vocals reminiscent of Stevie Wonder and a synth pop sensibility that feels like an ultra-smooth combination of Christopher Cross and M83, Max Swan is carving out a unique, yet accessible niche for himself in the modern music landscape. - Underground Collective