As Barry Can’t Swim is conquering the electronic scene
In an era in which everyone sees perfection, he enhances imperfection. Barry Can’t Swim says that “Imperfection conveys authenticity, something that a “clean” version of something cannot evoke». He also coined an expression to celebrate the art of imperfection: his music, says the Scottish DJ, among the most talked about names of the world electronic scene, is characterized by real “Happy accidents”“Happy accidents” made during the composition and registration phase. “Deadbeat Gospel“For example, it is full, of these” Happy accidents “: listen to believe (more below).”Manufacturers often spend too much time thinking. Instead I give the best of me and I am more creative when I don’t think»Explains Joshua Spence Mainnie, this is the real name of the musician, who from the debut of 2023 with the album”When Will We Land?”, Released on the label Ninja tunethe label founded by Matt Black and Jonathan More, a pirate of electronics and dance, has never stopped talking about himself.
The disc, uncertain by critics, has conquered certificates of international estimate and was mentioned as One of the best works of that vintage from specialized newspapers such as mixmag and djmag but also more pop like Billboard. In the United Kingdom, the album also obtained a nomination of Mercury Music Prize, among the most coveted musical prizes of overseas, alongside Charli XCX, Beth Gibbons, English Teacher (to which the statuette then went), Ghetts and The Last Dinner Party. Edinburgh’s musician is one of the few solo electronic music artists, together with Aphex Twin, Nia Archives, Burial, Jamie XX and Jon Hopkins, to have been selected for this recognition. Now Barry Can’t Swim is already preparing to relaunch. Returning from the largest North American tour of his career – he also performed last year to Coachella – On 11 July he will bring out his new album “Loner”whose first advances spread, “About to Begin” And “Cars Pass by Like Childhood“.
The first is a pulsating piece and loaded with pressing beats, which stands out for the repetitive crescendo towards the drop, perfect for the live execution and consecrated as one of the favorite songs by the public of his show. The other instead offers a softer and more reflective contrast, between delicate beat and superimposed voices that create a hypnotic sound landscape.
The two tracks follow the individual collaborative produced with O’Flynn “Kimpton”, enthusiastically welcomed by newspapers such as the New Musical Express, Clash and Diy (who dedicated the cover of his “Issue Festival” 2025 to the DJ of Edinburgh). “Loner ”will be promoted with new shows in the United Kingdom. Barry Can’t Swim will perform on festival stages such as theAll Points East in London (from 15 to 24 August will be among the headliners of the event together with Raye and The Maccabees), the Fowards Festival of Bristol (On 23 and 24 August he will share the stage with Doechii, Jorja Smith and Ezra Collective) and also the big weekend of BBC Radio 1: «I like to play at the festivals because it allows me to show off some of the pieces that I would normally not play in the clubs. I have always been a little disappointed by the winking appearance of dance music. People are too worried about how they are perceived. I never had time for this. It is a question of making community, uniting people, having fun and sharing an experience on the dance floor ».
