Barry Can't Swim - LateNightTales

Barry Can’t Swim – one of the most exciting electronic artists in the world – the latest artist to curate a Late Night Tales compilation. The release marks Late Night Tales’ first mix in over five years, and kicks off the series’ 25th anniversary year. This 20-track mix showcases Barry’s wider musical tastes and influences, fitting for both on and off the dancefloor. From house classics like Lance DeSardi’s ‘Power of Suggestion’ and Daniel Avery’s remix of Factory Floor, to the abstract grooves of Freddie Da Stupid or Ronald Langestraat’s leftfield reading of Boz Scaggs’ ’70s smash ‘Lowdown’. Elsewhere, atmospheric and emotionally rich selections such as This Mortal Coil’s ‘The Lacemaker’ and Magic Spirit Quartet’s delicately beautiful ‘Annabi’ deepen the narrative arc of the compilation. Barry also shares an exclusive reworking of Felt’s 1986 obscurity ‘Ferdinand Magellan’, alongside an edit of Superpitcher’s ‘Yves’, nodding to the classic Late Night Tales tradition of bespoke reinterpretations. His own unreleased material appears too - ‘Sometimes I Feel So Alone’, originally written for his debut album, and lead single ‘Chala (My Soul Is On A Loop)’, released today on Ninja Tune / Late Night Tales. We also hear exclusive tracks from producer O’Flynn, one of Barry’s closest friends, and the closing track ‘Ultrasound (Exclusive Spoken Word)’ by poet and longtime collaborator Seamus, who features on Barry’s Loner album. Throughout, Barry’s eclectic tastes are woven into a seamless, expertly curated journey. “I was absolutely buzzing when I got asked to do Late Night Tales. Over the moon,” Barry commented. “It was such a significant thing for me. It’s a series that works consistently with really great artists, so it felt like a massive privilege to even be considered to be among the kind of people that Late Night Tales typically works with.” “I have this Spotify playlist that’s called Barry Can’t Curate. I’d always put electronic music and different things in there that maybe I wouldn’t get to play in DJ sets,” he continues. “Late Night Tales is in the same world really - another place where you can share the music you love, but not necessarily music you’d play on a dancefloor.” Born and raised in Edinburgh, Barry Can’t Swim (Joshua Mainnie) developed his early relationship with music learning piano and playing in local bands, before club culture drew him into electronic music and the bedroom studio. That breadth of background underpins a Late Night Tales mix that brings together disparate styles and makes them feel like a coherent narrative - a hallmark of the series, and a skill Barry demonstrates with confidence and flair. Barry’s latest album Loner, released in July 2025 on Ninja Tune, hit the UK Top 10 and reached number one on the Dance Chart. Last summer, Barry cemented his position as one of the most singular voices in electronic music with a sold-out headline performance at All Points East, followed by a huge Barry Can’t Swim Curates Warehouse Project show, filmed by BBC Radio 1 for their legendary Essential Mix series. In 2024, he won BBC Radio 1’s Best Dance Act, and was also nominated in the category at the BRIT Awards.