Forest Swords is a musical project helmed by multi-instrumentalist Matthew Barnes from Merseyside, United Kingdom. Barnes initially launched the project in 2009, blending genres such as post-rock and trip-hop, as evidenced on 2010's acclaimed Dagger Paths LP. After a period of musical inactivity, Barnes reinvented his sound with 2013's Engravings, adding touches of Eastern-inspired instrumentalism, 1980s-era pop, and ambient music. In 2017, Forest Swords released their most recent work, Compassion. The album explored themes of global, political and emotional turmoil, fusing Barnes' signature production techniques with acoustic and electronic percussion. While Barnes has played all of Forest Swords' live shows, the project has evolved to incorporate a full 4-piece live band.