Review: Panda Bear - Mr. Noah EP
By Eli Schoop, Contributor
[Domino; 2014]
Rating: 8/10
Key Tracks: “Faces In The Crowd,” “Mr. Noah,” “Untying The Knot”
Being the most prolific member of one of the most acclaimed bands of the past decade, when Panda Bear releases a new EP before unleashing his demonic project Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper, he's going all out, as Noah Lennox does.
But Mr. Noah isn't so much a collection of unreleased tracks as it is a natural progression from Animal Collective's last record, Centipede Hz. With all the sounds and motions created here, Panda Bear shows us his mind more openly than ever before, and it works well.
Lead single “Mr. Noah” immediately shows the wild ride Lennox is taking us on. Wailing dogs, feedback and noise samples highlight the intro until the static wave takes over in tandem with a groovy drum line. In typical Panda Bear fashion, standard lyricism is thrown out in favor of melodic wails and syllables punctuated extensively. A great intro, it throws out what he's cultivated on previous solo works in a succinct manner to further suit his evolution as an artist.
“Faces In The Crowd” is another Panda Bear special. Wide open synths and Lennox's soothing voice reverberate throughout, which is a testament to how it shows former Spaceman 3 member Peter Kember's work here. Big and bold, its short length ultimately leaves a fleeting glory that echoes in one's mind.
A notable part of Mr. Noah is how everything comes together very tightly. There's no one overwhelming facet of the music that Lennox is crafting, and his dedication to these types of aural textures and tones, such as the as the fluttering harp in “Untying The Knot,” makes for some intense images that result out of the focused instrumentals.
Elsewhere, on the final two tracks, Lennox's virtuoso methodology in layering tracks comes into play. Although not as catchy or sparkling as the first half, the way both “Untying The Knot” and “This Side Of Paradise” coalesce brings about peace onto you. Even “Paradise,” the flattest out of the bunch, shows its Lennox touch with various carefully produced intonations that are sublime without a strong melody.
It's very reasonable that Panda Bear has delegated three of these songs to the EP. After all, besides “Mr. Noah,” no one knows what to expect from his new full length. However, if Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is not to your liking, Mr. Noah will certainly delight and entertain with its signature transfixing sounds and oddities from one of the most gifted men in music today.
