Whereas some artists tend to get bogged down in the genre layers within which they work to create something new, Dan Snaith has the singular ability to take any genre of music and turn its' particular characteristics to his liking and create something wholly recognizable as a Caribou album. From the sunshine-pop influenced Andorra to the much beloved classic Up In Flames, Snaith has melded the disparate aspects of dance, pop, and krautrock (and other genres) into cohesive albums that reflected the ever-changing moods, and tastes, of their creator. And while his previous albums have almost always been warm, inviting affairs, at least in their given contexts, Swim sees Snaith treading much more brooding, cold synth-induced waters. Dance music by its base descriptors and musical cues, Swim can be a bit alienating when compared with other Caribou albums. Seeing as how Up In Flames, Andorra, and really most of his other releases were pock-mocked with songs that could easily initiate someone into the Caribou histories, Swim creatively dodges such easy entries and classifications but still manages to feel like a Caribou album. Opener "Odessa" is easily the poppiest track here and the most clearly lineaged from Andorra. And while the narratives of these songs tend to be snapshots from unhappy lives, they never sound forced or purposely positioned an Caribou's dark album; it does seem a natural progression. And by using what he has learned on his previous records, Snaith has managed to create a Caribou album steeped in its own history, proving that progression is possible even within an artists own canon.
Tracklisting:
01. Odessa (listen to the mp3 below)
02. Sun
03. Kaili
04. Found Out
05. Bowls
06. Leave House
07. Hannibal
08. Lalibela
09. Jamelia
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