Swim Good Now is the moniker of prolific songwriter, artist, producer and loveable collaborator Jon Jasper Lawless. With an impressive catalogue of musical works under his belt, Jon has developed a signature mixture that blends upbeat production with dance, pop, electronic and folk elements; emotionally distinctive vocal performances; memorable melodic work; and vulnerable lyricism.
While speaking to me from his home near Wiarton, Jon is just as friendly as I remember, and it’s abundantly clear to me why he has worked with so many artists over the years: he has an ability to create a space where you feel comfortable being yourself, something that transcends any high-level recording space or expensive piece of gear.
Owen Sound is packed to the brim with music, but as a teenager in the 2010s, it often felt hard to see myself in that music. As much as I enjoyed bar standards and rock guitar, it wasn’t until I was introduced to the music Jon and his friends were making that I felt inspired to create my own.
Rather than focussing on finding musicians who sounded alike, Jon’s band First Rate People embraced the positive qualities that came with genre-melding. Enlisting traditional violinists, jazz drummers, beat-makers, folk singers, saxophonists and unique songwriters, they didn’t just create a new local sound, they served as a spirited example of the community young people can build and be a part of.
Reminiscing about past gigs, he calls to mind a night in New York City, opening for Toronto-based outfit Born Ruffians. Looking around the stage as his best friends sang words written by hometown pal Jon Farmer, he remembers feeling the weight of the role that the Owen Sound area played in informing his approach to music.
Staying true to the original goals of his collaborative exploration, Jon continues to work with creatives whose styles vary from R&B to folk singer-songwriters to house musicians.
His knack for recognizing authenticity, makes him both a skilled producer and an encyclopedia of musical deep cuts, but more than that; it makes him someone whose pursuit of intentional partnerships comes through in each of his tracks.
Having quietly worked with the likes of: S. Carey (Bon Iver), Gia Margaret, Torquil Campbell (Stars), Dan Mangan and a long list of other influential songwriters, he describes collaborating in a way that honours each artist’s art while integrating his own style and input into the project.
On the topic of making connections, Jon explains the importance of doing two scary things everyday “If I send one email, it’s so easy to obsess over it, but if I send two, it sort of disperses the fear,” he says. Although at times he would strike gold immediately, he explains that most of the early stages of creation are more of a way to get the ball rolling. He says an idea typically inspires a back-and-forth relationship with “as many as 6 drafts” before a final version is realized. During said process, vulnerability and openness remain at the forefront.
Throughout his career, certain partnerships have cemented there importance in his life and craft. Liam Sanagan (The Techno Hall of Fame, LUM), an indie treasure in his own right, has been both a close friend and musical companion whose input has influenced many of the Swim Good Now songs. Toronto-based atmospheric maestro Aaron Mohr (Rosy Glow), who Jon describes as an invaluable “tiebreaker” when it comes to ideas they are stuck on, has also played crucial roles in the creative process. Together, the three have released several tracks, like 2019’s painfully good Summer’s Over.
During our conversation, we discussed an Aaron Dessner quote in which he refers to “liquid emotion,” which stuck with me after our chat was over. The term denotes an idea of achieving a creative flow-state while harnessing a feeling, and I can’t help but feel this is what Jon has been tapping into time and time again.
How could you energize and inspire so many people if this wasn’t the case?
To experience the depth of emotion, approach to experimentation and the efforts of someone sincerely devoted to their craft, listen to Swim Good Now, now.
Notable projects and tracks: “Country Road” 2023, “Sorry Sorry Song” 2021, Daylight EP 2018, “It Was The Longest Day Ever” 2017, “Since You Asked Ft. Merival” 2015, “Twin Flame W/ The Techno Hall of Fame” 2024.
The Techno Hall of Fame and Swim Good Now are currently working on new music and plan to bring a unique show experience to the Owen Sound area in the summer of 2024. Stay tuned.
Written by Marshall Veroni
Photos supplied by Jon Jasper Lawless
