Animal Collective - Spirit They're Gone Spirit They've Vanished
by Maarten Schiethart
published: 28 / 10 / 2003

Label:
Fat Cat Records
Format: CD
intro
Timely reissue of first two albums by "intelligent percussion" experimentalists and New York trio Animal Collective, who have just finished touring with Four Tet
New York trio Animal Collective supported Four Tet on his recent UK tour. Their third album 'Here Comes The Indian' was released via Carpark in the US earlier this year, and on Fat Cat in the UK. Fat Cat have also just re-issued their first 2 albums on one package, 'Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished' and 'Danse Manatee' . These first two albums put into perspective Animal Collective's third album 'Here Comes The Indian' , and follow on from the attention already drawn by this intelligent percussion experiment in pop. In the year 2000 Animal Collective debuted with a set of excellent songs, 'Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished', full of psychedelic twists riding high on melody. 'Danse Manatee' shows an unexpected turn to tribal art rock, performed with such great ease that one would expect Animal Collective to have a magnificent improvisational talent. Also acting under their respective artist's names; Avey Tare, Panda Baer and Geologist, the collective's multi-talents echo memories of This Heat and Pere Ubu. Atmospheric drum tracks with sweet jangles overrule artsy confusion. Highlight tracks 'Meet the Light Child' and 'Penny Dreadfuls' feature a very satisfactory juxtaposition of melody chords with eerie noodlings. Animal Collective can burst into a walloping battle of sonics and next move to tears with dreamlike jitter. Their unrest is well-dosed and framed within the convention of an album. It's far from a 'statement' yet rather it is a pleasure to return to.
Track Listing:-
1 Spirit They've Vanished2 April And The Phantom
3 Untitled
4 Penny Dreadfuls
5 Chocolate Girl
6 Everyone Whistling
7 La Rapet
8 Bat You'll Fly
9 Someday I'll Grow To Be As Tall As The Giant
10 Alvin Row
Label Links:-
http://www.fat-cat.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/FatCatRecords
http://fatcat-records.tumblr.com/
https://www.youtube.com/fatcatrecords
https://twitter.com/FatCatRecords
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