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Barry Can't Swim

Barry Can't Swim

Scottish musician and producer

Base
London
Active
Since 2019
Listeners
227K

Sonic signature

42 analyzed

Barry Can't Swim is a driving house artist from London. Barry's catalogue here runs a wide 89-160 BPM band (median 123). Harmonically the catalogue spreads across 16 of 24 keys, with 69% of it in minor keys, most often 3B, 8A, 3A. The overall sound is punchy and neutral in mood. The tracks here span 2019 to 2026. Since 2020 the typical tempo has climbed from 124 to 129 BPM. The catalogue traces a label journey from Ninja Tune to LateNightTales. Less groove-driven than 96% of house artists.

Energy:
more restrained than 88% of house artists
Harmonic keys
12B1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8B9B10B11B12A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A123AVG BPM
Sonic fingerprint
EnergyGrooveMoodOrganicInstr.LiveTempo
Readout
Tempo range89160 BPM
Energy
67
Mood
35Balanced
Groove
60
Instrumental
62
Acoustic
14
Live
18
Popularity
35
Loudness
-9.6 dB
Avg length
3:48
Years
2019–2026
Genre DNA
House
29
Downtempo
14
Uk Garage
14
Electro
14
Electro House
14
Breakbeat
14

Plays across 16 of 24 keys, 69% in minor, most often 3B, 8A, 3A. Genre DNA leans 29% House, then Downtempo.

Evolution

Median tempo and energy of the analyzed tracks, year by year.

Tempo by year136 BPM
20202026
Energy by year17/100
20202026

B2B pairings

Artists who play the same keys at a matching tempo and energy. A back-to-back that mixes cleanly.

  • Dirty South16 keys · 123 BPM · NRG 67
  • Trikk16 keys · 123 BPM · NRG 71
  • Slam16 keys · 124 BPM · NRG 73
  • DJ Kent15 keys · 123 BPM · NRG 60

Discography

45 tracks · 42 analyzed
Key·BPM

About

Joshua Spence Mainnie, known professionally as Barry Can't Swim, is a Scottish electronic music producer and DJ from Edinburgh. His debut album When Will We Land? was released on 20 October 2023, being shortlisted for the 2024 Mercury Prize and featuring in numerous critics end of year lists. He was nominated for Best Dance Act at the 2024 Brit Awards and Breakthrough Artist at the 2026 Brit Awards

FAQ

What genre is Barry Can't Swim?
Barry Can't Swim plays mostly house, with garage house, based on their catalogue in the directory.
What BPM does Barry Can't Swim play at?
Barry Can't Swim's tracks here sit mostly between 89 and 160 BPM, with a median around 123.
What key does Barry Can't Swim play in?
Across 42 analyzed tracks, Barry Can't Swim favours 3B, 8A, 3A, and 69% of the catalogue is in minor keys.
Where is Barry Can't Swim based?
Barry Can't Swim is based in London and has been active since 2019.
What labels has Barry Can't Swim released on?
Barry Can't Swim has releases associated with LateNightTales, Ninja Tune, Shall Not Fade, Part 4.

Profile data from Discogs + MusicBrainz (CC0). Artist images and track data via Spotify. How we measure. Catalogue updated July 2026.

Methodology

How we keep this honest.

Ben ModigellReviewed by Ben Modigell, founder of Vibes and a working DJ in Cologne.

Seeded from open data

Profiles start from Discogs + MusicBrainz (CC0) discography data, then match to the tracks we have analyzed.

Measured, not guessed

Every BPM, key and energy figure on this profile is computed from the actual recordings, not estimated or copied from a third-party API.

Full methodology

How the directory is sourced, gated and kept honest, in depth: read the methodology.

Kept current

Catalogue last updated July 2026.

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