The Tips Of Cities

Animal Collective “Vertical”

There’s very little ego in Animal Collective. When they sing about personal relationships, it’s always in this gentle, supportive way, and appreciative of small moments with people they care about. When they sing about the world around them, it’s with a bit of awe or bemusement. That comes through in the sound of the music too, as they favor these sort of upbeat melodies that signal amiable generosity, or stoned introversion. “Vertical” is a great example of this, as the harmonies and syncopation are just odd enough that a rather straightforward melodic theme feels scattered and swirled. I love the effect this has on the way you hear the lyrics – these snippets of images and stray thoughts are evocative, but are scrambled enough that it’s less about a statement, and more about a sensation of feeling like everything’s spinning around you.

Buy it from Amazon.