Forest Swords – “Crow”

Forest Swords – “Crow”

Matthew Barnes, the UK producer who records under the name Forest Swords, makes ominous, intense, meditative instrumental music. Last year, he returned after a long absence with the new album Compassion. (It was his first since 2013’s Engravings, which is basically a modern classic.) He also shared a couple of non-album tracks a few months later. And now he’s back with one more new song, the sole original on a new Forest Swords-curated compilation.

Barnes is the latest artist to put together a mix for the long-running DJ-Kicks compilation series. As Resident Advisor points out, the Forest Swords entry in the series will feature 27 tracks, from artists like Dead Can Dance, Neneh Cherry, Vashti Bunyan, Laurel Halo, and Demdike Stare. It’ll also feature Animal Collective’s Pantha Du Prince remix and a couple of voice memos that Barnes recorded while out in the world. And it’ll feature a new Forest Swords track called “Crow.”

“Crow” only lasts two minutes, but it’s stark and enveloping. It doesn’t need anymore time than that to create its own atmosphere, to wash over you. Listen to it below.

The Forest Swords edition of DJ-Kicks is out 5/18 on K7.

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