July 8, 2022 |
Following the success of his recent single “Blackpool Boulevard” that landed him on Billboard’s ’10 Dance Artists to Watch in 2022’, Barry Can’t Swim is here with his first solo release. More Content is a 4-track love letter to the iconic British club scene, blending jungle, garage, and dubstep influences, but with a jazz-fuelled, melodic core.
This EP is a short yet surprisingly broad introduction to the Edinburgh born, London based producer (real name Joshua Mannie) who is currently signed to Technicolour Records. More surprising, though, are Barry’s traditional roots, having trained as a pianist from the age of nine. Fast-forward and we can witness an artist who is forging his own creative trademark, expanding a classical background to incorporate contemporary, electronic influences.
Here, we caught up with Barry to delve a little deeper.
1. Can you describe your sound in 3 words?
“Fairly jazzy stuff.”
2. How has your childhood in Edinburgh influenced the musician that you are today?
“It’s definitely a big influence, although I would say the people I grew up with shaped my music more than the city itself in all honesty. Edinburgh isn’t amazing at supporting the grassroots scenes, especially compared to somewhere like Glasgow. But I met a lot of incredibly talented musicians growing up there.”
3. If you wrote a screenplay about your life, what would it be called and who would play you?
“Probably Sonja from Eastenders or Steve Buscemi because we all share boggly eyes. It would be called the mindboggling life of Barry.”
4. You worked with many different artists to produce this EP, but who would be your dream collaborator?
“There are so many amazing people I’d love to collab with, but Jai Paul probably pips it, purely because of how elusive he is. I just wanna talk to him man.”
5. What is the greatest highlight of your career so far?
“I think the first-time seeing people singing along to your tunes when you’re playing live. That is such a mad thing to experience, man. Seeing people you’ve never met before in places you’ve never been to before singing along is still so surreal.”
6. What song from the EP best encapsulates the project?
“I would say “Sonder”, both currently and in terms of the direction I’m going. It’s more chilled and downtempo than the others, but it’s emotive and warm. It’s really important to me that what I’m writing is emotive in some way; music should always make you feel.”
7. What’s one song you wish you had produced?
“Oneothrix Point Never – Chrome Country.”
8. Who would be your 3 dream dinner guests, dead or alive?
“John Lennon, Marcus Aurelius and then Barry Manilow just to bring the vibes and make sure the other two aren’t getting too deep.”
9. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“Curry.”
10. What’s in store for the future of Barry Can’t Swim?
“A US tour in August and some festival shows that are going to be amazing. And working on my debut album… it’s getting there!”
Photography by Quann. ‘More Content’ is available to stream on all platforms. You can catch Barry Can’t Swim at the UK festivals Lost Village, Sundown and Yurt City this summer.
