Animal Collective

Animal Collective is a stubbornly uncompromising and idiosyncratic experimental band that started out in Baltimore; members have each relocated to different cities around the globe since then. They have been releasing music since 2000.  In the early days, they were mixing ambient electronica with modified drum 'n' bass, slow ballads, loud noise, and sweetly melodic pop songs mixed way back underneath the other goings on in the song. They sounded like a band who just took the studio on a test drive, poking around the knobs and buttons to see how far they can take this. Their approach never quite changed since then. Subsequent albums saw them leaning more into vocal melodies and catchy pop ditties (with hints of Beach Boys), slowburning electronic pieces, and perpetually shapeshifting rock in some combination. They are a unique band with no apparent desire to water down their style, and which also means they remain an acquired taste.