Despite the recent buzz around the band, Portland’s Growing Pains haven’t released any new music since a 2023 EP that came out while they were still in high school. Now, the band are announcing their signing to the label Photo Finish, and sharing their first single since that EP, a track called ‘Swimming.’

‘Swimming’ is as an immediate and streamlined guitar pop track with the melodic heft to read like a lost early oughts alternative radio hit. Recalling ’90s icons like Liz Phair and Julianna Hatfield as re-imagined by Joyce Manor, the single is an immensely promising first statement from an ambitious young band determined to meet their moment.

Kalia Storer says of the track: “This song is about the helpless feeling that comes from being romantically incompetent. I wrote it after going on a date and they put their arm around me and it felt wrong. I left and went to the airport to watch the planes fly and drink a beer on my truck. Then all of the words came to me—this was the night before our last day of recording.”