Ellie Herring and Yaeji Take a Cool Dip on the Entrancing Collaboration "Swim Me"

With an experimental approach to crafting music that shifts from sweeping, atmospheric techno to more MIDI-driven synth-pop, Ellie Herring has established herself as one of the most versatile producers out there right now. Making her earliest appearance on a Secret Songs compilation, the Kentucky-bred artist has gone on to build an extensive catalogue of delirious club bangers and remixes. Recently, she signed to New York-based label Driftless Recordings for her upcoming EP, What A Joy, out Nov. 17.

Following the first single "Wheels On," today we're premiering "Swim Me," which features vocals from Godmode producer and visual artist Yaeji (aka Kathy Lee). The song introduces itself with glimmering keyboard tones and crisp drum snaps, before floating upstream into the alluring beats of an Italo-leaning house track. The perpetual fear of self-doubt finds Lee repeating, "Dipping lightly in the water, I am not too sure it's the right time to go," flirting with the fantasy of diving further into Herring's most serene effort to date.

"'Swim Me' was written without any intent to work with vocals. When I hit the point of deciding which tracks made the demo, 'Swim Me' actually got cut and had to ride the pine for awhile," the producer tells THUMP over email. "I threw it in a really unorganized folder of other tracks that I didn't plan to release or would maybe revisit at some point. 'Swim Me' existed with the file name of 'Ellie Techno 7_But Not At All' until Yaeji cooked curry one night."

Pre-order What A Joy here, listen to "Swim Me" below, and read a short interview with Herring.

THUMP: How did you first meet Yaeji? What made you want to collaborate with her?

Ellie Herring: I've known her for a couple years through Carnegie Mellon [University] and VIA Fest friends. A few months ago she had people over to her spot for a "Curry In No Hurry" night, where she cooks Japanese-style curry and friends DJ. No exaggeration, this was the best curry I've ever had in my life, and I was probably food high when I decided it was a good idea to let the crew listen to my demos. Before I left, Yaeji played a few of her new tracks, and when I walked out the door it clicked. I said, "Hey I have a track that's just kind of hanging out and your voice could be so great for it. Can I email it to you?" It was really as simple as that.

How was it working with Joel Ford on this EP?
This question immediately made me think of meeting Joel for lunch a few months back in New York, where I mentioned that I was finishing up a project and I had no idea what to do with it. I was so psyched when he hit me back with interest from Driftless, I've been into Joel's projects way before I knew Joel in real life. Aside from yet having the chance to destroy him in a 3-point shootout, I don't think a thing has gone missed.

Does working with someone who has years of experience mixing change the way you listen to your final mixes?
Mixing is the art of knowing when to deem something "finished" and that is not my forte. I will drag a mix on forever and reverse-engineer it in the process. Working with Joel on the final mixes taught me a whole lot and I was sitting 700 miles away through the entire process. There's a ton of potential sitting in the final mixing stages and I'd yet had the opportunity to experience that.

What A Joy Tracklist:

1. Wheels On
2. Penelope
3. Forgot Right
4. Swim Me (feat. Yaeji)
5. Seaport At Night

Max Mohenu is on Twitter.