Five of the Best: Caribou

Photo: Caribou

If you are into dance music, chances are you have been there at the death of the night when your favourite DJ signs off by spinning Caribou’s 'Can’t Do Without You' (taken from 2014 LP Our Love). Those lush synths and dreamy vocals contribute to his trademark sense of understated euphoria, a sound he's patented as a kind of debonair dancefloor delirium.

Although this track undoubtedly displays Caribou’s ability to produce a track that epitomizes the infectious, anthemic, micro-house jam; it doesn’t showcase all that Dan Snaith can bring to the table.

Ahead of appearances at Citadel Festival, HYTE Ibiza, The Secret Garden Party and Bluedot Festival, we've homed in on five of his finest musical moments.

'Bees' (2005)

When you reach into his back catalogue it becomes clear that Snaith doesn't want to be easily defined or pigeonholed like many of his electronic producer brethren. And that ability to mash various, disparate styles is arguably best showcased on 2005 album The Milk Of Human Kindness, and in particular on the track 'Bees'.

Seamlessly and effortlessly blending together jittery electronic production values with soul grooves and guitar licks straight out of Rubber Soul/Revolver era Beatles, these are then allayed with an absolutely killer drum pattern - making a truly eye opening trip into the psychedelic and the profound.

Mixing live and sequenced drums together Caribou really demonstrates a virtuoso ability to produce and perform music, beating the likes of Warpaint and Tame Impala to their trademark sounds by half a decade and inspiring countless others.

'Niobe' (2007)

Here is a track that best highlights the adaptability of Caribou as a musician and producer at this time. Managing to combine elements of psychedelic rock, IDM, house and African tribal infused instrumentation as the title suggests. 

In the same year music audiences were lapping up the likes of Rihanna's 'Umbrella,' Caribou continued to show guts in his approach to music and did not cave in to the pervasive hip-hop and RnB trends of the charts. 

Pushing his experimental production style to ever expanding brackets 'Niobe' serves as the perfect summation of the Andorra release; a progressive, beautiful, undulating soundscape.

'Odessa' (2010)

Jump forward five years we are thrust into the beginning of a new decade and, with it, a new sound. Swim was widely lauded across the music world. Part of its charm was the way Snaith added the abrasive synth sounds that made eighties and nineties electronic music feel so clunky and smoothed them out.

It created gritty and often uplifting harmonies and melodies, once more over impressive drum programming and live drums.

By this point there is a familiarity to the approach Caribou takes to the grooves and rhythm of his tracks, consequently bleeding into more mainstream music - SBTRKT was one who picked up this pioneering approach to progressive but accessible music. The track Odessa kicks of Caribou’s 2010 cut with a statement of intent that still reads as loud and clear today as it did then.

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'Pairs' (Daphni) (2012)

Not strictly Caribou, rather one of Snaith’s other monikers - Daphni. After finding prominence as Caribou, Daphni could almost be seen to be a way of releasing the shackles for Dan Snaith. It allowed him to indulge more of his avant-garde and experimental influences and ideas.

On Pairs, taken from Daphni’s debut album, we see the music twist and turn into the darker, sweatier corners of a basement party. Allowing himself to take a more abrasive and experimental approach to production this album sees Daphni throw up some truly interesting blends of classic and unexpected. This track just happens to be a personal highlight from the album.

Essential Mix (2014)

Once again, another platform for Caribou to display his ability to adapt and to create. The Essential Mix for Radio 1 showcased Caribou’s aptitude as a DJ alongside his abilities as a producer and a performer.

It's a total all round summary of why Caribou is important and so celebrated in the electronic music circles that he finds himself in. It also picked up the award for Essential Mix of the Year. 

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