Animal Collective – Lion in a Coma

04Mar09

Up until recently, Animal Collective’s existence inhabited only the outermost part of my peripheral conscience, but with the release of January’s Merriweather Post Pavillion they have come sharply into focus.

The infectious Lion in a Coma is perhaps the only offering from the album that resembles a standard pop aesthetic, yet even that is heavily disguised amidst a swirling barrage of synthesised didgeridoos, 9/8 time signatures and disorientating phrasings. Whereas a lot of the album can be slightly over-whelming upon initial listening, this track is reassuringly catchy and memorable, even if you find yourself wondering what the hell is actually going on.

With the notable absence of guitarist Josh Dibb, Animal collective have strived to make a record using samplers as their primary instrument. The music however seems swamped with the sheer strength of the vocal performances on this track and the rest of the album, the bi-layered polyphony yielding original and moving results. It’s refreshing to find something so odd, yet likeable and devoid of the cringe-worthy novelty that the title suggested.

R

Filed under: Indie, Single Review   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Animal Collective, Lion in a coma