This past May Forest Swords, aka Merseyside producer Matthew Barnes, released his critically lauded LP Compassion (Ninja Tune). The musician is following up that effort with the two track single Congregate/Free available for streaming and download now via the label. The proceeds for the single will go to help the Red Cross with their earthquake and hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico and Mexico. The two tracks were recorded earlier this year during his Compassion sessions and “Free” was included on a Japanese release of the record as a bonus track.
“Congregate” is a beatless track of glitched ambiance featuring snippets of choral vocals, dusky piano, and simmering strings; but it’s the ways in which Barnes interrupts this tried and true formula with gaps, breaks, and miscues that makes this cut so intriguing. The haunting video for “Congregate” was created by the producer in tandem with Sam Wiehl. Featuring a sculptural piece of origami artwork from Fynn Jackson, the visuals’ slowly revolving mask becomes a potent, open metaphor for issues related to identity and being.
Forest Swords’ European/US tour is kicking off today. After the video embed, you can find a list of the upcoming dates complete with ticket links…
Watch: Forest Swords “Congregate”
Forest Swords European/US Tour 2017
28/09/17: Meet Factory – Prague, Czech (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2o9VVx7)
29/09/17: Waves – Vienna, Austria (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2oInag3)
30/09/17: Dürer Kert – Budapest, Hungary (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2nL4eeX)
02/10/17: Drugstore – Belgrade, Serbia (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2nK07R8)
03/10/17: Mocvara – Zagreb, Croatia (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2o7cQA1)
04/10/17: Kino Siska – Ljubljana, Slovenia (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2nK72cX)
06/10/17: Locomotiv – Bologna, Italy (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2fTGuUA)
07/10/17: Largo – Rome, Italy (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2yIN9Zw)
08/10/17: Hart – Naples, Italy (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2yvqXS3)
10/10/17: Dachstock – Bern, Switzerland (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2nK7w2L)
11/10/17: Rote Fabrik – Zurich, Switzerland (Tickets:http://bit.ly/2hyGPQj)
12/10/17: Uebel & Gefährlich – Hamburg, Germany (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2qGTgM8)
13/10/17: Bitterzoet – Amsterdam, Netherlands (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2fv0n3Y)
14/10/17: Badaboum – Paris, France (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2olrCkG)
16/10/17: The Lantern – Bristol, UK (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2r8RaWX)
18/10/17: Village Underground – London, UK (Tickets:http://bit.ly/2qbOiDt)
19/10/17: The Haunt – Brighton, UK (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2k6usfe)
20/10/17: Headrow House – Leeds, UK (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2q92mhK)
21/10/17: Gorilla – Manchester, UK (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2fu1zoc)
25/10/17: Teatr Warsawy – Warsaw, Poland (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2qNX5gT)
27/10/17: Six Dogs – Athens, Greece (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2qDWsWM)
28/10/17: Salon ISKV – Istanbul, Turkey (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2rsQjjf)
14/11/17: Good Room – NYC, US (Tickets: http://ticketf.ly/2qdzPYl)
15/11/17: Lincoln Hall – Chicago, US (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2oMnetG)
17/11/17: Chapel – San Francisco, US (Tickets: http://ticketf.ly/2ppevlx)
18/11/17: Echo – Los Angeles, US (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2qelmuU)
29/11/17: GNRation – Braga, Portugal (Tickets: http://bit.ly/2qbM47c)
30/11/17: ZDB – Lisbon, Portugal (http://bit.ly/2yajFH9)
01/12/17: Caracol – Madrid, Spain (http://bit.ly/2qGtN5A)
02/12/17: Apolo – Barcelona, Spain (http://bit.ly/2s1hK0B)
07/12/17: Reflektor – Liege, Belgium (http://bit.ly/2xcSyHI)
08/12/17: Vooruit – Ghent, Belgium (http://bit.ly/2vYwemD)
15-17/12/17: Day For Night Festival – Houston, Texas, US (https://dayfornight.io/)
