Music / Reviews
Review: Barry Can’t Swim, SWX – ‘Smooth and refined’
I’ve often been one to jump the gun and claim that an artist is the next big thing, but this time I think I might actually be right.
Now, that’s not to say that Barry Can’t Swim is even remotely an underground name in the British dance music scene at this point – quite the contrary.
The Edinburgh-born producer has surpassed two million monthly listeners on Spotify, released his debut album to widespread acclaim, and sold out many of the dates on his UK and European tour, including Bristol’s SWX.
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But something about Barry Can’t Swim’s sudden rise feels different. Maybe it’s the slew of festival dates he’s booked for this summer. Maybe it’s his effortless swagger and bubbly personality.
Or maybe it’s just the fact that he’s extremely talented, cementing a signature style characterised by intricate and silky production alongside irresistibly danceable piano melodies that imbues a sense of greatness akin to the meteoric growth of recent superstars from the UK scene like Fred Again.
Performing at SWX, the producer would emerge amongst a sea of swirling mist and bathed in blue light, accompanied by a duo of veiled instrumentalists on percussion and synths.
Together, they took the stage before a sardine-packed crowd of enthusiastic fans to deliver something special.
Though he remained initially muted, the producer would immediately set the vibe, allowing his music and spirited dancing to do the talking as he stood centre-stage on a raised platform, donned in a baggy shirt and a pair of questionable leopard print loafers.
Skilfully playing thumping yet elegant piano melodies, alongside tapping away on a sample pad, Barry would weave through some of the fan favourites from his debut album When Will We Land?.
Tracks including Always Get Through to You, How it Feels and the project’s title track, interjecting for a bop and a jig across the stage whenever a gap in the instrumentation allowed.
Breaking his silence, Barry, real name Joshua Mainnie, would heartfully announce to the Bristol crowd the affection he has developed for the city, reminiscing about his first ever DJ set that took place at Motion on a stacked line-up that included the likes of O’Flynn and LP Giobbi back in early 2023.
Though he still plays DJ sets, Barry quickly switched things up from this point, adapting his performances to live shows, with his inaugural show taking place at Islington’s Assembly Hall just a couple of months later.
Given he’s been doing it for less than a year, with a whole spate of new tracks released on his debut album amidst it all, it’s impressive just how smooth and refined his Bristol performance was given such a short timeframe.
Barry may not be able to swim, but he certainly brought his armbands to the venue, effortlessly floating through buoyant tunes such as Sonder and Dance of the Crab that make the listener crave the euphoric embrace of the summer sunshine as his set continued.
Now, I’ve long been an ardent critic of encores. Everybody knows you’re coming back onto that stage; everybody knows you’ve saved a fan favourite until last, and the whole shenanigan has certainly lost the shock factor and excitement that I imagine it once yielded.
That being said, Barry would re-emerge alongside his veiled companions to deliver a rendition of Blackpool Boulevard to raucous applause and a jumping crowd that just may have broken the Richter Scale.
Without doubt, this did not go unnoticed, with the producer unable to contain his beaming grin following the track’s completion as he said his goodbyes before exiting the stage.
Allow me to repeat: Barry Can’t Swim is the next big thing. His rise continues to stun even his most zealous supporters, as he has just this week been announced to be playing at Glastonbury Festival’s Park Stage later this summer.
Let’s just put it this way: if you don’t already know, then get to know.
Main photo: Josh Templeman
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