◇ image via WikipediaForest Swords
Forest Swords is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of Dead Can Dance, Orbital and Laurel Halo. Those roots explain a lot about how Forest Swords arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as Rival Consoles, Indian Wells, Loscil, Caterina Barbieri and Tim Hecker, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into Four Tet, James Blake, Mount Kimbie, Bon Iver and Burial, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 23 connections around Forest Swords, reaching back through Dead Can Dance and forward to Four Tet. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.
Background
Matthew Edward Barnes, known by his stage name Forest Swords, is an English record producer, composer, DJ, and artist. As of 2026, he has released three studio albums, two EPs, and several scores for film, television, and video games.
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Forest Swords connections
Forest Swords grew out of Dead Can Dance, Orbital and Laurel Halo, shares an orbit with Rival Consoles, Indian Wells, Loscil and Caterina Barbieri, went on to shape Four Tet, James Blake, Mount Kimbie and Bon Iver. 23 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.
Who influenced Forest Swords
Sounds and acts that shaped Forest Swords.
Artists similar to Forest Swords
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Bands Forest Swords shaped
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