Dan Snaith, the man behind Caribou, should be employed by scientists who are trying make machines more human. Caribou, no matter what dynamic shift is made on each album, always makes music that beautifully melds human emotion with cold machines. Snaith has a PhD in mathematics, so it's not like he'd be a complete slouch if he got the job.
Each Caribou record has a focused sound, and Snaith has seamlessly shifted from psychedelic (Up In Flames) and electro-folk (Milk of Human Kindness) to blissful pop (Andorra), all the while remaining firmly in the electronic world. Just when Swim seems like it's about to veer too far into cold electronics, like on "Bowls", Snaith throws an emotional punch on the very next track, "Leave House". Swim is the most decidedly electronic record he's made since Start Breaking My Heart, but it still retains that human touch. This is the one common theme you'll find in all Caribou records, and the increased use of vocals on the last few has contributed by adding an element of warmth that is anything but robotic.
You can deconstruct it all you want, but Swim is ultimately a fun record with a buoyancy suggested by the title.
Recommended If You Like:
Four Tet, LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, head bobbing, jungle animals.
Looks Like:
a never ending math equation.
Feels Like:
a dance party for nerds.
Smells Like:
a laboratory.
Listen to When:
contemplating the relationship between humans, animals, nature and machines.
Vinyl the Cat says:
I like to try to make my bell jingle to the beat!
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