Barry Can’t Swim – Loner

It is important for electronic music producers to create a visual identity. Think of Kraftwerk’s robotic minimalism, Autechre’s digital album art, or Daft Punk’s retro-scifi costumes. These aesthetic embellishments help contextualise and frame music. The same is true for an art gallery. The’meaning’ behind the pieces does not have to be immediately obvious. The descriptions next to the artworks can be just as important in illuminating them as the artworks themselves.

Edinburgh-based producer Barry Can’t Swim did a fantastic job of creating a unique, context-generating visual image. His album and single artwork boasts a vibrant palette. See the primary-coloured toys on his debut 2023 ‘When Will We Land? ‘or the warm pastel shades on his gorgeous
The 2021 single, ‘Jazz Club After Hours (#19659008) and the surreal image on the cover for ‘Loner.’

—

—

The bright colours and visual themes (bright toys are repeated on all of his previous albums’ singles) reflect and help bolster their music, which is also bright and enticing. You want to stick your face inside and inhale deep. After the incredible success of ‘When Will We Land? ‘, its creator (real-name: Joshua Mainnie,) was nominated for a Mercury Prize, as well as a BRIT Award,‘Loner,’ feels like a little lap of honor. Mainnie’s music, which is usually euphoric in nature, feels especially celebratory on these 12 tracks. It’s an album that exudes confidence and flair. At times, it is a heavier, harder party album than the previous one. The late-night feel of some tracks is more noticeable than in most of Mainnie’s work. Take for example the shameless drops on ‘About To Begin,’ or the fast, bass-heavy tech of ‘Different.’

But for all these moments, the vibrant, soulful songs are what really stand out. Kimpton is a beautiful highlight. It’s a Bonobo/Four Tet-style banger, which feels like watching the sunset on psychedelics. The warm, uplifting track ‘Cars pass by like childhood sweethearts’, with its evocative title, is a house track. The similarly poetically named closer ‘Wandering Mt. Moon is a beautiful conclusion, blending Golden Age Hollywood-style strings and stirring but delicate streaks of instrumentality like an impressionist picture. These are the tracks that feel most like Barry Can’t swim; imaginative and elegant pieces as colourful and lightly surreal as its creators’ visual aesthetic.

A beautiful and varied album, ‘Loner,’ will surely soundtrack many summers. It is an accessible, creative collection of colourful dance music that is sure to soundtrack countless parties.

8/10.

Tom Morgan.

Dig This. Dig deeper: Caribou salutes DJ Seinfeld.

—