Forest Swords (Matthew Barnes) has always drawn from a deep sheath of patience. Lightly gripping the handle. Stroking the hilt with his pinky. Ringing metal against bamboo, gradually pulling out the blade. You can hear the sharpness. Barnes waits for the right time to implement his attack: sounds, beats, melody, samples, rhythms, vocals (!!!), etc. Planning only strategy, he both delivers and reveals the mysteries behind “The Weight Of Gold.” Carving into the heart of art, one can only distinguish the piece as a whole, not in sections; the sounds mix masterfully and fluidly. Barnes grinds feedback into tape-warp-squeezed crackles, from beat to heat, to sweltering a pace that is unending and driven from the core.
Three years after the Forest Swords’ epic Dagger Paths EP, Tri Angle Records was finally able to squeeze a debut album outta him. Engravings arrives on August 26 in CD, digital, and double-LP formats. Hi!
• Forest Swords: http://forestswords.tumblr.com
• Tri Angle Records: http://tri-anglerecords.com
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