Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
Domino/EMI


Nearly ten years on and there still ain't a dud in the Animal Collective catalogue. More than ever the quartet sounds like Black Dice doing Brian Wilson's 'Smile', at the same time proving that it is when it crashes rather than crawls through its songs that the beast is best appreciated. 'Strawberry Jam' expands on the multiplying/dividing soundwaves of last year's 'Feels', employing less obvious delay sounds and ostensibly more weird ones. Where 'Feels' lacked variety in tempo, the second half in particular lagging under the weight of slow droning shards of guitar, 'Strawberry Jam' and all its kaleidoscopic goose-stepping binds together all of the band's strengths.

The vocal melodies and harmonies are as wild as ever; Panda Bear in particular proves his ear, and indeed his falsetto, are both approaching new heights. Peacebone, all vocal whooping and carousel swirl, explodes out of the gates with that child-like exuberance that is smeared like grubby fingerprints all over Animal Collective releases.

But it's those weird micro sounds that steal the show; churning tone generators gulp down faux birdcalls and white noise squalls, steel drums and real drums. When the band does slow it all down, as on #1, the atmosphere is wonderfully queasy, perhaps the effect of eating too much stewed fruit.

Chores is perhaps the quintessential Animal Collective song; the demented intro, wobbly crescendo and beautiful breakdown are all taped together with those wacky little sounds. While by now there are plenty of imitators, nobody does it quite like Animal Collective. It's a success, yet again. But who could've thought otherwise?

Lenin Simos