Animal Collective - 'Painting With'

7/10

For a band that formed around the turn of the century, producing ten studio albums is extremely impressive. Not just from a timescale point of view, but also managing to maintain a solid and devote following throughout that entire time. But arriving four years after their last studio album 'Centipede Hz', the now trio have begun to work on a more abstract direction to their sound, giving this new release an extremely wide variety.

Opening with possibly the catchiest song they have ever written, 'FloriDada', the album moves very sharply from one almost bizarre influence to the next. From the haunting synths of 'Hocus Pocus' to the nostalgic electronics of 'The Burglars', 'Painting With' aims to create a series of stylised songs with each their own musical makeup. While it all sounds intriguing, the result is mixed affair with most of the record keeping up interest, while some lags behind the rest.

While it may not be the most consistent release we have seen from them, it is refreshing to see that after so much material, the band are still looking to push the boundaries of their music. They may not sound ready yet but it seems like they are on the cusp of another brilliant reinvention.

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