Tracking 2012′s Best Songs #10

Tracking
Don't miss out. Follow us on Twitter for new music. Don't forget: use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to move between posts quickly and easily.

This week on Tracking––a weekly series in which we discuss our favorite songs of the year (you can check out the official list as the year progresses)––you can listen to additions from Animal Collective, Fiona Apple, Jai Paul, Twin Shadow and Grimes. (Click on the arrows to navigate through the songs.)

Animal Collective Honey Comb Tracking 2012s Best Songs #10
Animal Collective: “Honeycomb” / “Gotham” (1 of 5)

As mind bending as Animal Collective’s most recent work has been (the visual record ODDSAC and the performance piece Transverse Temporal Gyrus) it is always welcome to hear their experiments within a proper song structure. “Honeycomb” and “Gotham” are the first tracks to come out of the recording sessions for an album to be released later this year. They are both excellent and distinctly Animal Collective, meaning unlike any other music made by humans. “Honeycomb” opens with an unintelligible sample (what else) and some quirky synth work before the melody drops and Avey Tare begins to lead us down the rabbit hole. It is a dense track, with any number of sounds being produced at once, but it has strong harmonies and a clear focus. The members join voices near the end for a Beach Boys moment and, with that, AnCo are back in our lives.

“Gotham” is as close to a slow-burner as Animal Collective gets. It opens with hints of Pink Floyd, which is fitting considering both bands are pioneers of psychedelic music. However, as much acid as that band took, I don’t think they ever envisioned the types of soundscapes that Animal Collective are able to create. “Gotham” is anchored by a meandering pop melody but that is only the spatial center for a swirling cloud of echoing guitar, soaring vocal harmonies, and myriad electronic adornments. I recommend trying to mentally chase down every little synth stab, every guitar note that worms its way through the track and then leaves again unnoticed. It is a futile yet fascinating exercise; and it will leave you with an appreciation for just how impossibly creative these four men are. –– Drew Malmuth


arrow1 Tracking 2012s Best Songs #10 arrow2 Tracking 2012s Best Songs #10

What did you think?
 160  27  8  21
james-blake
Videos

The good people at NPR Music have shared this 90 minute high def recording of James Blakes’ full show at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club. If you can manage it, spend…

Keep Reading...
charli xcx
Videos

When we spoke to Charli XCX in March after SXSW, she told us “when I’m making a song and it comes to the end of making that track, if I…

Keep Reading...
HAERTS
Must Listen

HAERTS seem to be in the business of craft huge pop tunes that can interchangeably be the song of the summer. Listen to “All The Day,” which comes on the…

Keep Reading...
zemmy brittle pieces
News

According to an interesting piece over at Pigeons and Planes, Kanye West now has a SoundCloud account. While no actual Kanye music has been uploaded yet, the account has logged…

Keep Reading...
boards of canada dead
Must Listen

It’s finally here. Not a string of numbers, not a 15 second clip of random sounds, but an actual new song from Boards of Canada. Their new album, Tomorrow’s Harvest…

Keep Reading...
angel haze iggy azalea
MP3

Angel Haze and Iggy Azalea have been doing Jigga and Kanye proud in the UK for a few weeks, now Haze has shared an audio recording of their rehearsal.

Keep Reading...
ariel pink irving plaza
News

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti are on tour right now in support of their very solid 2012 album, Mature Themes, and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away for…

Keep Reading...
disclosure
Music

The Disclosure siblings share another dance floor filler from their forthcoming new album, Settle. It lands on June 3rd.

Keep Reading...
ryan hemsworth still awake
MP3

As promised, Ryan Hemsworth has released a seven track EP for free. If you were looking for a Memorial Day Weekend soundtrack, you can just stop looking now. Click here…

Keep Reading...