Dan Snaith, the man behind Caribou’s recordings, is the absolute antithesis to a minimalist producer. Rather than finding beauty and clarity in electronic music by stripping away inessential elements, Snaith utilizes every available sound to his advantage. This was no more apparent than on his excellent 2010 release, Swim, where blistering saxophone samples accompanied dubbed marimbas alongside Snaith’s wispy vocals of love’s destruction. To fully appreciate Caribou’s eccentricity, one must nearly suspend any preconceived ideas regarding electronic music.
“Can’t Do Without You” is the opening track from Snaith’s forthcoming album, Our Love, and perfectly epitomizes the record’s title. Its building synthesizers emblematically represent the same emotional spikes one experiences during a relationship. As the sound textures reach an all-enveloping climax, Snaith quietly reminds us how anyone should feel in such a powerful relationship: “I couldn’t do it without you.”