Animal Collective: Feels

If you're not familiar with the Animal Collective, put it this way - their name is apt. Feels is like a wander through an intriguing and beautiful pop-music zoo. Grass has tweeting birds, a duet of bashing cymbals and shrieking vocals, and a drunken Little Drummer Boy beat.

This might sound chaotic and more like an art collective doing freaky things than a band making music, but it all comes together thanks to a sweet melodic backdrop and a pop sensibility. Think Mercury Rev, but more erratic. Or Fiery Furnaces, but more psychedelic.

Guest contributions from Eyvind Kang (Mr Bungle) and Kristin Anna Valtysdottir (Mum) are also an indication of where Animal Collective are coming from.

Later in the album there's the shivering ambience of Bees and Daffy Duck, and eight-minute epic Banshee Beat, which, with its brittle and mechanical tapping, is like walking across a frozen lake as it cracks behind you.

Interesting and amusing music that will grow on you with each listen.

Label: Spunk