In the 23 years since their debut album was released, Animal Collective have honed the art of the jam. Workshopping their glittering, melody-forward songs on stage, the experimental quartet have developed a recorded sound that retains the freewheeling style of their improvisations. Yet, with its members pursuing solo careers and living abroad, recent years have seen the band recreate their jams with replacement instrumentalists or online back-and-forth.
Their latest album marks the first time in a decade they have made a record with all four members in the same room, and its references are sprawling. From hurdy-gurdy on the 21-minute Defeat to dubby grooves on Gem & I and the psychedelia of Genie’s Open, Isn’t It Now’s unifying thread is its capacity for change.
