The Baltimore based experimental pop act Animal Collective has dropped a new single, entitled “Brown Thrasher,” Stereogum reports. The track was released as part of For The Birds: The Birdsong Project, a mega-project containing music from a wide array of artists.
For The Birds, as its name suggests, was released intending to benefit the National Audubon Society, a charity that aims to protect birds and their habitats. The project was rolled out in five volumes, containing over 200 songs in total, with “Brown Thrasher” acting as part of the fifth and final volume, out today. Featured artists on the project include Laurie Anderson, John Cale, Alice Coltrane, Cassandra Jenkins, Yo-Yo Ma, Nick Zinner, Beck, The Flaming Lips, Terry Riley, and a long list of others.
Fitting for a bird-themed project, “Brown Thrasher” emphasizes the sounds of nature throughout its entire nearly 8 minute runtime, with the sounds of birds chirping providing a sweet and charming ambience to the gentle track. Throughout the song, we hear a wide variety of soft guitar melodies, synths, electronic effects, creating a uniquely serene soundscape that captures your attention without ever feeling intense or uneasy. Heavily reverberated and somewhat distorted singing becomes more present near the midpoint of the track, without ever becoming the focal point of the mix. Listen to “Brown Thrasher” below.
In February, Animal Collective dropped a new album titled Time Skiffs, containing singles “Preseter John” and “Walker.” The band recently performed at the Day In Day Out Festival, alongside such acts as Japanese Breakfast and Mitski. Animal Collective’s Panda Bear has been active in releasing work under his own name, especially in collaboration with Sonic Boom, including their recent single “Danger.”
Photo Credit: Stephen Hoffmeister
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