Swimming Paul Turns Heartache Into Motion on 'Smiling Through the Pain 2'
Swimming Paul’s second album 'Smiling Through the Pain 2' blends heartbreak and euphoria across 15 seamless tracks – a dance floor diary of raw emotion and movement.
Cameron Holbrook
Swimming Paul’s long-awaited sophomore album Smiling Through the Pain 2 has arrived via Headroom Records, and it’s everything we hoped for – emotional, euphoric, and just a little bit devastating.
The French-born, London-based producer has a rare gift for turning feelings into movement, and across 15 tracks, he captures the chaos and beauty of a night that never really ends. One minute you’re lost in the lights, the next you’re staring at the ceiling, sinking into your sheets during a comedown... adrift in a sea of mixed emotions.
Across the album, bittersweet piano hooks and heavenly gated synths shine as defining elements. It’s a rich mix of triumph, vulnerability, and emotional depth – full of tender melodies, confessional spoken word, and aching lyricism from featured artists Junior Simba, Zayden, Liza Flume, Beaux Neptune, and Alecc Crisostomo. Together, they help showcase Swimming Paul’s signature balance of raw emotion and big-hearted groove – music that turns heartbreak into something hopeful.
With over 150 million streams and sold-out shows across Europe and North America, Swimming Paul continues to build a community rooted in connection and emotion. As he takes the album on tour, Smiling Through the Pain 2 stands as both diary and dance set – proof that sometimes the best way to heal is to move.
