Forest Swords - Dagger Paths

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Press release
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4...according to our Clinton on Fri 26 Nov, 2010.

Always a worry when you get a CD plonked into your hands with the words "you'll love this" but this one passes the Clint shit-o-meter with flying colours. Initially there's a spectacular cross fusion of genres here. Mmmmm! Fusion! It fits somewhere between what we now call witch step (sorry) and the haunting soundtrack-y atmospheres of a La Bradford or Pan American. In laymens terms its carvernous dubby beats and bewitching soul samples are married with twangy post-Morricone guitars. Each piece exists on its own terms, they do develop but not past the initial sound sources on view so once you know the instruments at plays thats what you are going to get. Like a lot of releases I've reviewed of late the dream like state of half remembered phrases, feelings is at work and any vocals are buried and heavily effected. But head honcho Matthew Barnes has certainly stumbled across an impressive sound all of his own and this is a very strong first outing. Its worth noting that the initial vinyl run of this with download code is still available care of this establishment via the obviously good people at Olde English Spelling Bee.

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"Mind-blowing out of nowhere debut for this solo UK underground project based in the Wirral in Merseyside. Forest Swords work as a Hypnagogic update of classic UK underground modes, importing psychedelic hip-hop and R ‘n’ B production styles into the kind of eccentric art-pop settings of Simon Wickham-Smith and Richard Youngs, Two Daughters, Dome, The Shadow Ring et al. The music is hypnotically lush minimalism, sometimes using synthesised ghost vocals over dubbed-up Julian Lynch style bass and beautiful smears of drone. Forest Swords talks of his love for Aaliyah’s work with Timbaland and there’s a sleight of hand going on here which is comparable to Daniel Lopatin’s seductive use of screwed hip hop styles in drone/underground settings. Here Forest Swords come over as a Hypnagogic Aphex Twin, with the stoned production style of Selected Ambient Works usurped by crude minimal Spacemen/Velvets guitar and some F/X heavy DIY remix styles. It’s a fantastic trip, with something indefinably bleak/lovely in its evocation of lonely late night England. Dagger Paths consists of specially re-mastered versions of tracks from the out of print cassettes Miarches and Glory Gongs along with brand new material. Full colour pro-printed sleeves and insert with a MP3 download. A classic UK underground side, bolstering the tradition while taking it somewhere else completely. Highly recommended." - Dave Keenan, Volcanic Tongue

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