Photo by Hisham Akira Bharoocha
Animal Collective, the avant-garde music quartet consisting of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin, and Geologist, are set to release their highly anticipated studio album, Isn’t It Now?, on Sept. 29, in collaboration with Domino Records. The band, known for their experimental and open approach to music, recorded the album with acclaimed producer Russell Elevado, renowned for his work with artists such as D’Angelo, The Roots, and Kamasi Washington.
Isn’t It Now? marks Animal Collective’s first effort since 2022’s Time Skiffs and continues their unwavering commitment to pushing creative boundaries. Embracing new influences and ideas, the band members allowed themselves to explore different aspects of their musical personas. From Panda Bear’s focus on drumming to Deakin delving deeply into piano playing and Avey Tare and Geologist’s interest in Renaissance music, the album promises a captivating and diverse soundscape.
Today, the band released the album opener, “Soul Capturer,” which serves as an anthem for the existential struggles faced in the digital age. The song reflects on the seductive nature of vices, the allure of the internet, and the emotional toll it can take on individuals.
Isn’t It Now? boasts several remarkable tracks, including the previously released 22-minute epic “Defeat,” and “King’s Walk,” a song they have been performing live for the past few years, even during their NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in 2022.
The band’s summer residency in Leiper’s Fork, Tenn., in 2019, resulted in abundant material, eventually forming the basis for two albums they’ve dropped since the start of the ’20s. While they released Time Skiffs in 2022, the remaining songs were kept aside for a future project. Seizing the opportunity to work with producer Russell Elevado, the band gathered in New York’s The Bunker in late 2021 to record Isn’t It Now?.
At 64 minutes, Isn’t It Now? stands as Animal Collective’s longest album to date. Despite its length, the album feels concise and cohesive, offering a seamless blend of anxiety and beauty, nostalgia and progress, sadness and hope. The project also captures the spirit of togetherness. The band finished recording the album in just 12 days, using no more than 24 channels.
Isn’t It Now? is now available for pre-order in various formats, including Mart edition 2xLP orchid vinyl, indie edition 2xLP tangerine vinyl, standard 2xLP, CD, and digital copies. Pre-order Isn’t It Now? here and listen to “Soul Capturer” below.
Animal Collective / Isn’t It Now? (Domino)
Tracklisting:
1. Soul Capturer
2. Genie’s Open
3. Broke Zodiac
4. Magicians From Baltimore
5. Defeat
6. Gem & I
7. Stride Rite
8. All The Clubs Are Broken
9. King’s Walk