Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, sampling, vocal harmonies, and sound collage. AllMusic's Fred Thomas suggests that the group "defined the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s."
The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age. In 1999, they established the record label Paw Tracks, issuing what is now considered their debut album, Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished (2000), as well as work by other artists. The band's 2007 album Strawberry Jam was their first to chart on the Billboard 200. Their 2009 follow-up Merriweather Post Pavilion was the band's most commercially successful album, reaching #13 on the US chart; its reverb-heavy psychedelic pop sound proved highly influential to independent music of the subsequent decade.
Records released under the name "Animal Collective" may include contributions from any or all of its members. Evolving from early collaborations between Lennox and Portner, the collective was not officially established until all four members came together for the album currently titled Ark, which was originally titled Here Comes the Indian (2003).
Most prior collaborations between the band members were then retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography. In the case of Dibb, who often takes breaks from recording and performing with the band, his time off does not constitute full leave.
Members:
Avey Tare (David Portner) - vocals, guitar, synthesizer, sequencer, keys, piano, bass guitar, percussion, autoharp
name comes from "tearing" apart the name "Davey" and is unrelated to the word "avatar"
Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) - vocals, drums, percussion, samples, synthesizer, electronics, guitar
Named for the panda he drew on tapes he made for friends of the first set of songs he ever wrote
Deakin (Josh Dibb) - guitar, synthesizer, vocals, keys, percussion, sequencer, sampler, drum pad, bass guitar
Named comes from letters he used to write to other members under the pseudonym Conrad Deacon
Geologist (Brian Weitz) - electronics, samples, minidiscs, synthesizer, piano, vocoder, hurdy-gurdy, percussion
Named for the headlamp he wears in order to see the electronics during live shows, and from a friend mishearing his major in college (marine biology)
From: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genre(s):
Experimental pop,
psychedelia,
electronic,
freak folk,
indie rock
Active From: 1999-present