Wonderfully morose dance music

Caribou’s newest album could have been a victim of high expectations; after enjoying the opening track for weeks, I wondered if the rest of the album could possibly match its unstoppable groove. Luckily, my fears were baseless, as “Swim” is Caribou’s strongest album yet.

“Odessa” gets the album off to a good start. Although the whispered lyrics are eerie and depressing, the watery bass is irresistibly funky. The opposing forces cancel each other out and instead create something instantly enjoyable. Even though the album is extremely dance-friendly (usually a harbinger of poor songwriting), nearly every track maintains a similar level of quality.

But it’s not just the quality that’s consistent: the dark tone that announces the album is pervasive. Only “Kaili” seems to be infused with a sense of hope. Yet somehow the friendly beats keep the mood from becoming oppressive.

Caribou understands that superior dance music doesn’t have to sugarcoat its lyrical content. By avoiding bland bubblegum, he makes an album that is neither too dark nor too light, but just right.