As far from the dancefloor as Dan Snaith likes to wander during his latest adventure as Caribou (and he we does wander quite a good way), he always keeps an envelopingly comfortable club pulse on tether. His is a hybrid sound that sets the power from dance beats to unexpected tasks while astutely dissecting pop notions so as to only employ the aspects he requires to execute his desired outcome. Inspired by swim lessons Snaith’s wife gave him as a gift, this is a thinking man’s Aqua Boogie where sounds drift, swirl and splash against each other with powerful rhythmic currents providing the engaging pull.

Opening single “Odessa” bobs along to a bulbous bassline and eurodisco beat as vocals that would sound at home on a Junior Boys album claim the center. The beat is accented with all manner of samples and instrumental flourishes, and toward the end of the track the early ’90s house keys, which play such a key role throughout the album, make their first appearance. Those pulsing keys are at the fore on “Sun,” where the pleading intonation of the song’s title slaloms around the notes and the steady kick drum, casting swirling brightness as they work their way, spatially, throughout the mix. The keys (in synth) form are back for “Bowls” where they compete for attention with ringing musical bowls that provide both melodic and rhythmic center for the track.

The album showcases Snaith at his most focused in a number of places, with vocal-centered tracks “Leave House,” “Found Out” and “Jamelia” (where Born Ruffians’ Luke Lalonde adds vocal help) each offering an atypical approach to pop conventions and each coming away with success. There’s restraint when called for, excess when needed and constant bits of sound flowing around the mix, with some bit keeping things appropriate for any mood or setting. With Swim Snaith finds success focusing his most complex notions and freeing his most straightforward ideas.

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