Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef (Album Review)

 

Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef

(2018)

My copy: limited 2018 press on green vinyl with etching on one side by Domino.

Tangerine Reef is an ambitious audiovisual album that followed 2016’s Painting 

With. The future of Animal Collective’s sound was subject of much debate: Painting With and its byproducts instilled fear in some while 2017’s Meeting Of The Waters restored faith that they had not abandoned their roots. Tangerine Reef proved that Animal Collective are not a band that can be qualified so easily, as the sound here most closely resembles their early electronic albums. 

The record is meant to be heard while viewing the accompanying film provided by Coral Morphologic as it is said to enhance the experience, though this review will focus solely on the music. Woozy guitar strums help build the atmosphere on “Hair Cutter” with most other sounds being synthesized. The sharp percussive noises pop like bubbles from an oxygen tank. Avey Tare’s vocals are largely obscured in a sea of whirling high frequencies though some bass tones emerge later into the track. A synthesized loop picks up the tempo on “Buffalo Tomato” where tighter melodies help give replayability although it feels like the album would work better if it were solely instrumental. Tare’s layered vocals are interesting but ultimately feel like an unnecessary layer, especially in the context of the visuals. “Inspector Gadget” features a swath of immersive clatterings amidst radiating synths as a bouncy bass plays with a curious organ. 

There are more obscured voices on “Buxom” where a mallet melody flutters about in repetition with scattered beeping and banging. The bright frequencies of “Coral Understanding” is where the album most closely reminisces of their work on Danse Manatee. There is a controlled chaos, and the higher production level allows the sounds to more organically flow than the earlier AnCo offerings. The glitching, pulsing soundscape then carries into “Airpipe (To A New Transition)” which, while being a creative splatter of noises, is far too long and repetitive. “Jake And Me” dials back the mood with somber pads and singing before Avey Tare’s vocal freakout on “Hip Sponge” muddies the waters. “Coral Realization” introduces the rise and fall of a siren with ominous distorted bass before fading to splintered effects on “Lundston Coral.” 

The compressed organ of “Polythoa” is lovely on its own, and the other instruments and vocals that appear work nicely together. Waves of distortion wash over and chirping synth hijack the song. “The Best Of Times (Worst Of All)” is a bit too manic and overwhelming but the layers are slowly peeled back before the album closes. 

Animal Collective are a band that attempt to reinvent some element of their sound with each release. Tangerine Reef is challenging yet rewarding when the aquatic ambiances are able to fully sink in and sway listeners. The biggest issue is that the vocals overtake a lot of the impressive synth sounds and samples, confusing the vibe in the process. It is like the album is caught between ambient and electronic pop music. Still, with good headphones and the film to boot, Tangerine Reef has potential to be a moving experience.