Forest Swords shares two new songs, “Butterfly Effect” and “Tar”

Forest Swords has returned with a new double single. “Butterfly Effect” and “Tar” comprise Matthew Barnes’ first non-film or video game music since 2019, and they’re both out today via Ninja Tune. The former is a clanging, pulsing electro-industrial banger featuring vocals from Neneh Cherry, while its flipside, “Tar,” is more of an ambient piece coursing with waves of organ-like sounds. Hear them both below.

Barnes said in a statement about “Butterfly Effect,” “The track swirled around as a pure instrumental for a while, a beat I made in the cold factory space in Liverpool I was recording in, some kind of attempt to cope with the psychedelic amounts of pain I was in from a leg injury. Neneh’s unreleased archive vocal turned out to be a perfect fit, like they were meant to be together somehow. As a fan that has always idolised her, it’s a true honour and life highlight to have her blessing to use the vocal on this track”.

Forest Swords’ last album was 2017’s Compassion.