Interview: Caribou

Jasmine Phull catches up with Canadian maths PhD Dan Snaith - better known by the electronic music world as Caribou.

Caribou is bedroom psychedelica at its purest form, and Dan Snaith is the man behind this moniker and psychedelic bliss machine. Originally from London, Ontario with a PhD in Mathematics under one arm and an endless discography safely nestled under the other, Snaith now currently resides in London, UK and the release of his current album Swim means many things. It means the days and nights of voluntary ‘house arrest’ are now in the past and it means he too can enjoy the highly anticipated British Summer and perhaps inject a bit of the ol’ Vitamin D back into his system.

Swim; the follow up to 2007's Andorra, is a sonically luxurious 50-minute-record that paints a sun-dappled picture. His music - like a gauche painting - is complete with finer brush strokes, gaudy colours and layers and layers of texture. Asking him what kind of album he dubbed his third instalment I was answered with a flat “fucked if I know”, because once it’s released the only time he listens to it is during a performance. But to the listener it’s an organic dance record which creates visual metaphors while lulling you into a stupor. Press play and no sooner will harps transform into an army of clinky bells than you’ll be floating down a stream of liquid ecstasy; your body limp, your mind entirely uninhibited. Like the man himself Caribou’s music is completely unaware, it carries no pretence. Dan Snaith doesn’t pretend me to be anything more than a guy from Ontario, Canada based in North London who indulges in self-isolation in order to create his cerebral electronic music.  Take a listen to ‘Swim’.  It’ll be hard to wipe the smile off your face with this one. 
 

Are you an early or late riser?

Lately I’m an early riser, but only because I’m not working on an album right now. When I am I’ll be up till 3-4am working on stuff.

 So your best work is done the later it is?

It comes and goes. I can only listen to music with headphones on at night, but there is something great about working at night. You can kind of get lost in it all.

When you first started gigging back in early 2000 you often sported funky psychedelic outfits. They don’t seem to make quite as much of an appearance these days.

We just got progressively lazier as time went on. We used to have these rubber masks when we were playing but it was just so horrible. It’s always hotter than it looks on stage and it just became unbearable - especially when you have to play the drums with a rubber mask glued to your face. The main priority on tour when we’re doing like 50 shows in a short amount of time is hygiene. So we’ve just decided it’s more important to maintain some level of cleanliness. I’ve also become more and more confident that the show carries itself.

You do vocals on most of your albums. Did you train as a singer when you were younger?

No. I thought I was tone deaf when I was a kid. I really couldn’t sing, but I just started wanting to add it into my music. In the beginning the singing wasn’t live but now I’ll be singing everyday for a period of 8 months. I guess singing in front of an audience everyday has allowed me to become more confident about it . Singing is more part of the music rather than about me singing.

Have you progressed over the years?

I definitely have improved. I used to be absolutely terrible. But I’m still definitely not a singer.

Do you use the manipulation of sound through computer programmes?

I’ve always recorded my stuff on a computer because it was financially feasible. That’s what got me into making music. How accessible it all became because of technology. The amount it’s been used varies on all my records but definitely on this record I used technology a lot.

What kind of album is Swim? Do you drive to it? Run to it?

Fucked if I know. For me the music is about the excitement of making it and that’s the last time I’m going to listen to it. Aside from when it’s performed live I’m not going to sit down and listen to it.

Has the audience that responds to your music grown since you first started?

It’s a gradual cumulative process. I really do think it’s an amazing climate for music these days. There’s definitely never been this much music available.

Do you think that’s got a lot to do with technology which has lead to bedroom producers?

Yes but that’s only been in the last 15 years. I really remember when I first started making music how hard it was to get music realised; it was almost impossible. You don’t need a record label to start up - it’s all about sharing and then if people like it, it’ll develop from there.

Festival season’s coming up. Do you have a favourite?

We've done a festival in Tawain twice. I don’t like missing Glastonbury, it really is a special festival for me. It’s not even particularly about the music. We’re playing in Jakarta this Summer which is really exciting.

So you’ve toured quite a bit in Asia. Is that a newer region that you’ve started touring?

Yes and that kind of goes for most bands from North America. Two years ago we did some shows around Hong Kong and Mainland China and I really got a sense, it was weird in both places there’s a kind of formality where people clap for an encore, that people have been to so many shows that they kind of know what it’s all about. It felt like we were at the beginning of Western bands coming over whereas now it’s like they’re a lot more accustomed to it.

How about Japan?

Yeah I’ve got lots of friends that live there so it’s always been a special place.

How about the Karaoke? Have you had a go at it over there?

There was one particularly messy karaoke night. And it’s funny, I almost dislike Karaoke more everywhere else in the world.

Why Highbury and Islington way?

It’s not too saturated with hipsters.

Any great music haunts around there?

Absolutely not. That’s the great thing about it. When I’m making an album I don’t usually leave the house; I’m a bit of a hermit.

Interview by: Jasmine Phull