ANIMAL COLLECTIVE レコード& CD

Review: Defeat is a 22-minute new mega-single by Animal Collective, who by now should need no introduction (but for the rookies, we'll indulge one anyway) as the paradigm-breaking experimental pop band and formed in 1999. 'Defeat' is divided into two parts. The first is a beatless, coming-of-age pop seance, spanning surreal harmonia, whirling organelles and beatless spirallings, lyrically centring on the theme of overcoming adolescence. Part two is far darker, concerning the implicit alienation of a mother restlessly searching for her daughter in a lost dystopia, while horrific, tremolo'ing cellos play out in bad-trip horror flick fashion. Recorded with producer Russell Elevado, violinist Samara Lubelski, cellist Leila Bordreuil, and saxophonist Ben Chapoteau-Katz, it's certain to sate fans of the Collective, who remain committed to an ever-chameleonic bravado.

Review: Animal Collective return with album number eight, their first for Domino. "Strawberry Jam" was recorded by Scott Colburn in Tucson, Arizona. It's an amazing record, which should finally mark some sort of crossover for them. It bears all of their unique and charming hallmarks but with vocals and melody much more to the foreground.