SLOW TRAVEL BERLIN
Animal Collective, Astra, 9pm
Sometimes there are super groups that form from the ashes of former bands. And then there are super groups that become successful on their own, only to later have its members go on to succeed in other musical realms.
Animal Collective is one such group. Most notably, the band is regarded for founding member Noah Lennox, better known as Panda Bear, as well as the group’s own label, Paw Tracks.
In the 13-year history of Animal Collective, the band has released nine studio albums, six EPs, two live albums, and one visual album. Moreover, this long-standing relationship and continually evolving sound dates back even further, to when Lennox and Josh Deakin met in the second grade.
Centipede Hz, the band’s most recent release, marks a return for the founders, as Deakin–who did not record or tour on the previous album due to personal reasons–returned. The sound is notably experimental, something Animal Collective has always been known for. But while many feel that the album doesn’t try as hard as albums past, in most cases, it’s a good thing. Here, the focus is more on trying out new things, and seeing what works – and what doesn’t. Is the band successful? Go see them and you can be the judge of that. Natalye Childress
Astra Kulturhaus, Revaler Straße 99, 10245 Berlin; 030 20 05 67 67; S+U: Warschauer Straße; admission: €23.