Animal Collective
Domino Records
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While it is hard to listen to Animal Collective’s EP, Water Curses , without recalling its predecessor Strawberry Jam , it is equally difficult to listen to their latest effort and not remember your first really intense high: there are moments of pure, mindless bliss, and moments of unending headaches. Only four songs long (leftovers from the tightly-packed Strawberry Jam , which includes such enjoyable gems as “Reverend Green” and “Fireworks”), Water Curses is a drug-induced extra spoonful of the chocolate ice-cream you thought Animal Collective had cleared from the table. But like every extra taste of desert, there are times when you wonder if maybe taking that extra bite wasn’t such a good idea.

While the opening title track of Water Curses does indeed accomplish what Animal Collective claims it sets out to do: “produce the sound of a smile,” more so “Water Curses” emotes the memories of a summer day in your early childhood, a sun-filled afternoon full of nothing but giggles (enter said smiles) and glee. This is accomplished by Animal Collective’s as-always bizarre use of synthesizer and sound effects, repeatedly replicating the sounds of both a bubble blower and a carousel in its upbeat melody, thus stealing the soundtrack of your most joyful youthful memories. This track, however, is unevenly followed by the annoyingly whiny “Street Flash,” which does not deserve more than this one sentence. The jewel of the Water Curses EP, if there really is one, would be “Cobwebs.” “Cobwebs” symbolizes what Animal Collective is all about—mixing the bizarre noises and beats of the every day with intense albeit archaic lyrics, only to create pure poetry. “Cobwebs” is gorgeous, worthy of Strawberry Jam , if only Strawberry Jam could have found room for it. While I am normally a fan of an album quitting while its ahead, “Cobwebs” is followed up by “Seal Eyeing,” a languid, ambient otherworldly tale that ends our high a mellow one. The track is nothing special, but it’s nothing terrible, allowing you to end the small and somewhat-mighty EP feeling as if you have gone on one short yet sweet journey. This certainly is nothing new for Animal Collective, as they always bestow their listeners with a listening-experience– not always sweet, definitely not always short, but an experience nonetheless.

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