Forest Swords
[UK]
Forest Swords is Matthew Barnes’ solo project. Barnes, who is based in windswept Wirral, a coastal town near Liverpool, began releasing gauzy, hometown-flavoured drone-pop on cassette in 2009. His debut EP, Dagger Paths, was released by US label Olde English Spelling Bee / No Pain In Pop in 2010.
Barnes was approached by small cassette labels Leftist Nautical Antiques and Woven Tones in the US to do his initial releases, which were then later mastered and bundled by Olde English Spelling Bee for the vinyl EP release, Dagger Paths. The EP also included a hauntingly sad cover of Aaliyah’s "If Your Girl Only Knew" on the b-side. Barnes has remixed the likes of These New Puritans, Gold Panda, The Big Pink, and Burial. and a recently-produced free mixtape led to an invitation to DJ on BBC’s 6music. Barnes is also involved in Dyymond Of Durham, a collaborative project with fine artist Otto Baerst.
A Forest Swords album is slated for release in 2013 on Domino Records.
