Animal Collective returns with new single “Prester John,” announces first studio album since 2016
The group's eleventh studio album, Time Skiffs, arrives Feb 4, 2022
Aux News Animal Collective
Experimental rock band Animal Collective have returned with their quarantine album. Crafted over the course of 2020, the band’s eleventh studio album—Time Skiffs—arrives on February 4, 2022.
Serving as the follow-up to 2016's Painting With, the new album features nine new tracks, recorded by members Avey Tare, Deakin, Geologist, and Panda Bear, with mixing by Marta Salogni. Salogni’s previous mixing projects include Bjork’s Utopia, David Byrne’s American Utopia, Lady Gaga’s Dawn Of Chromatica, and more.
In a statement, Animal Collective describes Time Skiffs as a collection of “love letters, distress signals, en plein air observations, and relaxation hymns, the collected transmissions of four people who have grown into relationships and parenthood and adult worry.”
The first single from Time Skiffs, titled “Prester John,” weaves two songs together—one written by Avey Tare and one by Panda Bear. No, it does not sound like “Jazz+Jazz=Jazz,” but it’s a relaxed and meditative endeavor. Synths make way for acoustic instruments, veering greatly from the vibrant and electronic-forward Painting With. “Prester John” is subdued but effective, with a bass line that smooths out any rough edges.
Animal Collective’s most recently released the original score they composed for the off-the-grid 2020 documentary, Crestone. In 2019, they released the live album, Ballet Slippers, featuring live recordings from the early sets of Merriweather Post Pavilion in celebration of their magnum opus’ ten year anniversary. Following Painting With, the band shared the audiovisual album Tangerine Reef, which upon its release we said, “The worst way to engage with Tangerine Reef is by listening to it.”
So they’ve been busy over the last nearly six years cultivating other musical endeavors, but a new era of the ever-transforming group is here. They’ve also announced a round of U.S. tour dates, which kick off in March 2022.
Here’s the full track listing for Time Skiffs:
1. “Dragon Slayer”
2. “Car Keys”
3. “Prester John”
4. “Strung with Everything”
5. “Walker”
6. “Cherokee”
7. “Passer-by”
8. “We Go Back”
9. “Royal and Desire”
14 Comments
I am hype. I am excite. Is this a new new song? I might have heard some version of it at a concert a while ago…maybe not…Wow, another four months!?
Per the far more fervent minds on the indieheads subreddit, all but one of these songs have been played live. My first time hearing it, though.
those people are pretty gee darn fervent, indeed I was lucky enough to see Panda Bear with Geologist opening at Brooklyn Steel a long time ago. Geologist’s set was soooooo hypnotic (without putting you to sleep) it was great. Plus I’ve seen AnCo together at least twice, maybe three times, they create a good atmosphere
Prester? I barely know ‘er!
I’m just excited to see a reference to the Prester John legend! There’s an excellent non-fiction book about that fascinating little piece of history called “The Realm of Prester John” by Robert Silverberg.
My favourite part is how Europeans ascribed the ravages of the Mongol Hordes to Prester John, only to later realize that the Khans didn’t favour any particular religion and were only interested in military conquest.
I have always found this band twerpy and exhausting, like if Portlandia did a bit on the most Williamsburg band ever. Probably my most “I’m not hearing what you’re hearing here” critical-darling band of the 2000’s.
One of my earliest old man moments: A coworker mentioned that a group named Animal Collective had just released an album called Merriweather Post Pavillion, and expected me to know what he was talking about.I listened to the album, and when he asked me what I thought about it, I just said: “Sounds like Aphex Twin,” and he went: “Who’s Aphex Twin?”
So you’re one of these “make up indie band names because hipsters will never admit they’ve never heard of them”?
Hah! I wish I’d come up with Aphex Twin on my own. Sweet name.
Who thinks Aphex Twin is made up? He’s been around for decades
extremely funny story 🙂
I bought Painting With and I think I listened to it once
this is so so so so so so good i’m gonna straight up be mean to ppl that don’t like this song.