History

Swoomptheeng culture is inspired by the elements of
RAVE CRAFT, ZOMBi BAASS and RiTUALiSED PUNK TECHNOLOGY.

Originating in the swamp, Swoomptheeng meandered to THE URBAN en masse in 2014. They now reside in the industrial CROTCH and NOMANzLAND of Birmingham, UK. Of the original crew, 3 remain visible: Punkah, Skuulleyes & SuperVGA.

For BEARTiME, these troupes of masked creators have bastardised, appropriated and repurposed cultural scraps. Often inspired by online trends and algorithms, they seem to decorate themselves in remnants of celebrity, regurgitate dance music, misuse technology, misunderstand fashion and mangle language.

They often make electronic gadgets, software, musical instruments, woody arts, folk crafts, perform music and are active social media users.

Dressed in their ceremonial, vividly coloured, and tendrilled masks, Swoomptheeng appear in the form of their own imaginary friends – channelling their otherselves through raving. Swoomptheeng performances often dissolve the boundaries between the performer and audience, antagonise the relationship between high and low art, and draw on the rituals and artifacts of pop culture and folk traditions.

Swoompy language mimics Internet English and is expressed mainly in capital letters. Common phrases include DOWWNT MHOOV (Don’t move!) and SAUL ABAAT THEEROPLAYNZz (It’s all about the aeroplanes). A sentence will often end with 8, or the more formal iSNT iT?.