Animal Collective – Time Skiffs
Following a six-year hiatus, Animal Collective's 11th studio album sounds like a band picking up where they left off, but unfortunately leaves you wanting more
Six years may have passed since Animal Collective released their last studio album, Painting With, but they haven’t been completely off the grid in that time. Since then, they have released an audiovisual album (Tangerine Reef), a collection of archival live recordings (2 Nights), and a new EP (Bridge to Quiet). But for a band as influential as Animal Collective any release will always feel special.
On their 11th studio album, Time Skiffs, they sound like a band very much picking up where they left off. The album’s lead single Prester John is typically Animal Collective; all roving riffs and layered vocal harmonies. While the band’s experimental explorations are most clearly imagined on Strung with Everything and Cherokee, both of which travel through so many iterations they could almost be whole albums in themselves.
With Time Skiffs you get what you would expect from an Animal Collective record, but it does feel like something’s missing. For a band renowned for their experimentation it doesn’t feel like much new ground is covered on Time Skiffs and even after years of waiting, by the end of the album you’re left wanting more.
Listen to: Strung with Everything, Cherokee