“Like many, with all that’s been going on since I started making the record, I’ve struggled to see any kind of light at the end of the tunnel, so I realised there’s some sort of power in trying to create our own instead”. Matthew Barnes.
Forest Swords has shared a new track, ‘Panic’ ahead of the release of his uber-impressive second album Compassion due next week. Levant inspired ethereal reed sounds traverse their inimitable way ensconsed inside a circular beat characterised by the pitter patter of deep darbuka/doumbek like drums while vocal samples give the track an almost soulful appeal. Subject wise, it’s hard to see it and the record as a whole as anything other than an allegory to the desperation emanating from Syria at present and a personal call for far more compassion to be afforded the victims of that horrific conflict and indeed the world’s 70 million refugees in general. Watch the new video for the track directed by Matthew Barnes himself in collaboration with Sam Wiehl for Dense Truth Productions. Their video for previous share, ‘Arms Out’ is also below while ‘The Highest Flood‘ is still sitting pretty in the Top 30. A vital aural work for the time and one of the highest order, Compassion is out May 5 on Ninja Tune. Pre-order the vinyl here.
Tracklist
1. War It
2. The Highest Flood
3. Panic
4. Exalter
5. Border Margin Barrier
6. Arms Out
7. Vandalism
8. Survival
9. Raw Language
10. Knife Edge
Panic
Forest Swords (ENG)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Compassion’, Ninja Tune. Out May 5.
Forest Swords Facebook
Official Video
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyUSfuL9dxY[/embedyt]
Arms Out
Forest Swords (ENG)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Compassion’, Ninja Tune. Out May 5.
Forest Swords Official
Official Video
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpA_1vauVs[/embedyt]