Caribou: Swim

Caribou
Swim
Merge Records [2010]









Fire Note Says: Caribou continues to push their sound into another genre!

Album Review:
Dan Snaith has a lengthy resume releasing music over the last decade first as Manitoba and more recently Caribou. He has took a stab at just about every genre out there at some point in his career and after his stellar last output Andorra [2007], that had a greater focus on a 1960's British folk pop sound, one could only guess where he would go next. With all the praise that record received I sort of expected a similar path on Swim but Snaith surprises us again with a more sonically challenging record, which borrows from his past but easily propels Caribou forward. Swim definitely has a more electronic structure, as it keeps your feet tapping and contains a groove around every corner, which is perfect for headphone listening. What makes Swim stand out, is that the record once again relies on Snaith's soft pop vocals that provide hooks, melodies and a lyrical base that holds even the most remote noises together. Fans of LCD Soundsystem, The Chemical Brothers and Animal Collective should be on board here as Swim is another superb record in Caribou's catalog and only gets better as you listen to it again!

Key Tracks: "Odessa", "Kaili", "Leave House"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Radio Dept.
LCD Soundsystem
Flying Lotus

Official Caribou Website
Caribou MySpace
Caribou Facebook
Merge Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony