Electro swing is one of those genres that makes immediate sense the second you hear it.
Take the bounce, brass, swing rhythms and glamour associated with vintage jazz and swing, then combine them with modern electronic beats and dance-floor energy. That meeting point is electro swing.
It can sound playful, glamorous, punchy and very modern, even when the musical references are decades old.
Is electro swing the same as swing music?
No. Traditional swing grew out of jazz and became one of the defining popular styles of the 1930s and 1940s. Electro swing borrows heavily from that sound, but mixes it with electronic production, house-style beats and other modern dance influences.
That is why it can feel vintage and contemporary at exactly the same time.
Why does electro swing work so well with modern songs?
The contrast is the fun bit.
A song people know as pop, rock or dance music can feel completely different when the rhythm shifts, the harmony becomes tighter and the arrangement starts borrowing from swing and jazz.
It is closely related to the idea we already use in our current repertoire: taking familiar modern songs and giving them a vintage twist. Electro swing simply pushes that old-meets-new idea further towards the dance floor.
Where does close harmony fit in?
This is the bit we are most excited about.
The Toodle Pips are a three-part close-harmony vocal trio, so the plan is not to suddenly become a generic electro swing act. The harmonies stay at the centre. The new arrangements are being built around the thing that already makes us sound like us.
If you are curious about that vocal style, have a read of what close harmony means.
Are The Toodle Pips performing electro swing now?
Not yet.
We are developing a new electro swing set for 2027. Our current live offer remains centred on vintage favourites, swing, jazz and modern songs with a retro twist.
We are sharing the direction now because it is a genuine part of where the act is heading, but we do not want anybody landing on the website and assuming the new set is already available.
What are we building for 2027?
The aim is a sharper, more Art Deco-influenced live identity with close harmony, modern songs and a stronger electro swing feel. Think evolution rather than reinvention.
The vintage character stays. The three voices stay. The personality stays. We are simply giving the whole thing a new pulse.
For now, explore our current vintage entertainment or watch and listen. We’ll share more about the dedicated 2027 set as it develops.