It’s appropriate that the name of this album is a question: a lot of Animal Collective’s tracks combine classic and psychedelic rock with electronic synth experimentation for an experience that’s just as nostalgic and reference-laden as it is unique and unpredictable.
Soul Capturer has the feel of a 60s boy band song – a simple guitar chord progression with strong strumming plays over frequent vocal harmonies. The song repeats the rhythm until it’s so ingrained in the listener that they can hear it when the wavey synths overtake everything, devolving the melodies into the sound of a fly buzzing around. Further to the name, this evokes the soul of the classic rock bands who captured the hearts of many, then it twists the music until it’s unrecognizable.
Broke Zodiac plays purely into the laidback 70s rock style to provide a foil to the following track, Magicians From Baltimore, which leans into electronic influences. In the latter track, heavy and infrequent drumbeats emerge from the quiet violin, with each third drum sting ushering in chimes and crunchy feedback. The space between notes gives the song dimension; it makes the listener feel like they’re stumbling through an empty dream. When they’re fully entranced, hanging onto the singer’s slow words, the tempo ramps up for a surprisingly intense intermission where every word has strong punctuation lyrics. This track, more than any of the others, demonstrates how much power Animal Collective has when they balance the drums.
Defeat is the highlight of the album. It’s very much in line with the progressive rock of the 80s: slow, flowing, trippy melodies; raw vocals with metaphorical lyrics about loss and moving on; lots of fading in and out; and background chanting or harmonizing voices. An instrument that sounds like a theremin produces light feedback, calling attention to the recorded nature of the song. This, combined with the name “Defeat” and the 22-minute runtime, suggests Animal Collective is not just trying to create a story, but explain a human phenomenon. It’s the feeling of when a person’s journey, perhaps in relationships or personal goals, transitions from an idea to a reality, to a failure. A defeat.
The song changes at around nine minutes, developing a consistent rhythm as people chant and the synth increases in pitch. The plans are finally being set in motion, and the lyrics “What have we become” reflect a recognition of rapid change. Suddenly, the slower pace returns as voices echo above the sound of waves. Contemplation again, but more sombre this time. The song finishes on an unsettling and uncomfortable note, using the same feedback and gliding violin notes as before to accentuate the raw, awkward singing. The motifs that once signalled success now feel like failure.
This powerful feeling could carry the album on its own. Even if it weren’t for Defeat, the stylistic variety and innovation of the remaining songs would still be more than enough to recommend the album.
