

There was a time when Edinburgh’s Joshua Mainnie was just a music student quietly uploading his tracks to the internet. That’s all a distant memory now. Ever since the DJ and producer assumed the name Barry Can’t Swim in 2020, he’s been on an unstoppable upward ascent, fuelled by his warm, atmospheric and vibrant electronic sound, as well as a mission to move, uplift and unite audiences everywhere he goes. Earning comparisons to Fred again..’s emotive dance sound, this is music to make you feel, inspired by jazz, Afrobeats, house and ’90s electronic music, but also, at times, by The Beatles, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and Mainnie’s training as a classical pianist. In 2023 came his impeccably crafted debut album When Will We Land, earning Mainnie a spot on the Mercury Prize shortlist and a Best Dance Act BRIT Award nomination in 2024, a year during which he continued to cement his rise via singles including long-time crowd favourite “Still Riding” and “Kimbara”.