HAVING plied his trade in the realms of Neo Psychedelia for well over a decade, Noah Lennox; perhaps better known as Panda Bear, is no stranger to grandiose concepts and otherworldly elements within his music. On Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper, Lennox manages to conjure up an album which vividly depicts the dichotomy of life, its 13 tracks flitting between joyful and enthusiastic to melancholic and foreboding within a few bars.

The Animal Collective co-founders’ latest project was wholly inspired by a recent change in residency; uprooting from his homeland of the United States to the sunny shores of Portugal. Speaking of the experience and the manner in which it influenced the album’s inception, he stated that “We’re constantly forced through experiences that allow us to become something new—to create a new identity. Moving was something like that for me. I had this vision of a future for myself as a person that lived in America, and then all of a sudden it was completely demolished.”

Opening with the wistful ‘Sequential Circuits’, it establishes the tone for what is to follow by utilising many of its thematic concerns and elements. Quizzical and poetic lyrics as well as swirling textures and hypnotic arrangements are all present and refuse to dissipate.

Lead single ‘Mr Noah’ follows, delving into territory reminiscent of the oft forgotten Yeasayer and structured in the vein of Talking Heads and other post punk pioneers.

One of the albums standouts and most potent compositions is the unrepentantly boastful ‘Crosswords’. Led by shimmering keys and featuring funk laden percussion by Noah himself, its lyrical content revolves around the notion of his constant innovation as he stridently proclaims “Stay there while I move, Stay scared while I improve.” This track is a vehicle for him to address critics and fans alike who clamour for the Baltimore born multi instrumentalist to retread upon similar ground as some of his past releases or long for new material from the acclaimed Animal Collective.
The instrumentation of ‘Boy’s Latin’ verges upon the industrial sound of artists such as Nine Inch Nails whilst its recurring collage-like vocals keep it grounded firmly within the psychedelic mould in which Lennox excels.

The album’s most poignant moment is undoubtedly the harp sampling lamentation of ‘Tropic Of Cancer’, which deals with the tragic death of his father from the very disease that is referenced within its title. Lyrically, it touches upon the formative stages of illness, with Lennox crooning “When they said he’s ill, laughed it off as if it’s no big deal, what a joke to joke, no joke.”

Its morbidity intensifies as Lennox addresses the illness as a living entity, conceding that “Sick has to eat well too.” This Zen-like proclamation is consistent with the overarching approach to death throughout the record; in that it is as much a part of life as anything else that occurs.

Another notable track within this ambitious record is ‘Lonely Wanderer’, which manages to tow the line between ethereal and unsettlingly menacing. Its closer ‘Acid Wash’ bears resemblance to the chopped and screwed sound of the Houston hip hop scene before segueing into a dreamlike refrain; it is elevated by Lennox’s passive tenor that set’s his output apart from anyone else within the all encompassing medium of psychedelic music.

Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper manages to provoke thought from its listener and yet doesn’t do so in the tedious manner that many would expect when such a forlorn facet of human existence is at its heart. The record is an incredibly engaging and provocative listen from its illusory opening strains to its mind warping and intense conclusion.