Music

David Portner’s falsetto rings like a wayward whistle in the infinitude of Animal Collective’s obscurities. In the fallout of an opaque autumn, The New York City-based progressive miracles return with the release of their fourth Extended Play, entitled Fall Be Kind – once again dispatching the listener to a realm that whispers noise. Hooves clatter, whales cry intricate elegies and glass shatter in a myriad of gleaming fragments; where their instruments fail, the avant-garde quartet utilizes an wide array of different natural sounds in order to convey their art. From the electronic drums and ringing bells of “What Would I Want? Sky”, featuring the first ever licensed Grateful Dead sample, to the fluid poetry of “On a Highway” – we find ourselves struggling to dissect, fathom and appreciate every second, as all of them seem to offer their own take on the enigmatic ensemble.

The vibrato-riddled vocals of Devendra Banhart cuts through intricate sitars and ethnic sonic-booms just as well as it caresses hushed nylon-strings. Drawing inspiration from an array of eastern and western styles of music, the Venezuelan-raised Californian singer/songwriter delivers highly nuanced sounds throughout his discography – that nevertheless all boil down to the same air of some incense-scented, candle-lit nirvana. The new album What Will We Be features a conform to harsh, rock rhythms and distorted sounds, whilst still adhering to the signature arrangements on selected tracks. Banhart’s versatility and vibrant dynamics will undoubtedly prove live-favorites, in particular the track 16th and Valencia Roxy Music, where the modest guitar-drum ratio and sharp hook gently guides the three-minute piece. It is not without high expectations one awaits the November 23 show at the Music Hall in Williamsburg, New York. The bearded folk-guru arms himself and his band for what will most likely be a Brooklyn night to remember.

Somehow enveloping majestic melodies in simple chord-progressions, New York City quartet The Pains of Being Pure At Heart protrudes like a resplendent gemstone amidst the indie/pop/rock cluster. Lead singer and guitarist Kip Berman’s Stratocaster cries in its signature distortion as his gentle lyrics aspire to cement the notion of innocent adolescence. Flanked by Alex Naidus on bass, The Depreciation Guild frontman Kurt Feldman on drums and Peggy Wang-East on keyboard and backup vocals - together the band released their self-entitled first full-length album earlier this year. On September 22, the musicians returned with the release of their new EP Higher Than the Stars, featuring four new tracks along with various remixes. Ranging from the stripped-down keyboard anthem in the title track, to the previously unrecorded live-favorite 103, the sound clings to that of the previous records while subjecting itself to just the right amount of subtle reinvention; infusing the amount of novelty needed to remain conspicuous in the dramatically over-crowded scene. An extended play that will undoubtedly offer warmth in the lackluster months of fall.