Remember the days when there were separate genres for electronica, dance and indie rock? It wasn’t all that long ago, but in the last few years the onset of ‘indietronica’ has created a whole movement of bastardised beats crying out from their misunderstood synthesizers. 

 

There have been some excellent examples, particularly in Australia, of electronic and dance acts utilising live drums and guitars. But the number of woeful indie rock/pop bands throwing in a few beats here and there to try and persuade listeners to stay on their dance floor of choice for another 3:30 rather than slamming down another Jagerbomb, is quickly growing older than Keith Richards’ drug habit. 

 

It is then with my absolute delight that I can announce to you all: Merriweather Post Pavilion is one of the best electronic albums you’ll ever hear. Animal Collective have stripped back the guitar solos, meaningless lyrics about losing sleep because a girl won’t call, and they don’t even have good haircuts. But they make amazingly rich, textured and interesting songs. 

 

My Girls is my favourite single of 2009 thus far. Finally, a song with a story told through a beginning, middle and end. The beats build slowly with added instrumentation creating extra layers along the way. Not a single likely to get played anywhere but the radio, but if any club or DJ is brave enough to play it, let me know and I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to be there. 

This is the eighth album released by the group, and much has been said about how this is their most listenable and pop friendly album to date. 

 

Still, this is hardly music dipped in sugar; there are plenty of challenges along the way. But this album will be a seminal record in the electronica genre for decades to come. My only beef with this album is that it’s now going to cost me a fortune buying up on the rest of Animal Collective’s back catalogue. Truly special. - Red Paint