[rohcti]

Ugh Crescendo just gets better the more I listen to it. One of the best!

[roopn]

Crescendo is dope, also the only track I've wondered what a full AC band version would sound like

[roopn]

Harmonies at the end of Buoys are utterly golden

[Hellomark]

I love Crescendo, but what the heck does "you don't get wet from rock" mean!?

[Lacrimosa]

spoogn wrote:

hey, my favorite thing about this album i think is how driven it is by the vocals. seems like panda is being more poetic than ever here and each song ends once he's said all he has to say. i like that

Yes. Maybe that's why I can't get these songs out of my head. They're popping up all the time and I can hear his voice and the instruments very clearly, very vividly, which is good sign.

It’s been building all my liiiiiiiiiiiiiiife
A soft whisper for the last tiiiiiiiiiiiiiime

Want to
Tell you
That I
Want to
Tell you


(and omg I have to express my love for I Know I Don't Know again -> AAAAAAAAAAAH)

hatredcopter wrote:

this might be my favorite animal collective related release since oddsac :-0

I still think Tomboy (we all know it coul've been so much better) and Down There are better but the are def there again. I really love this weird tender little lovely album.

[griff_doge]

Wish I hadn't listened to the boots so much. The studio versions are very similar at least in terms of song structure and instrumentation. Vocals too save for the auto-tune. I too am surprised at how up front the vocals are in the mix but find with the processing that they can be a bit grating at times. With all that said, If I was hearing these songs for the first time I think I'd be experiencing what everyone else seems to be experiencing.

[jetski]

Hellomark wrote:

I love Crescendo, but what the heck does "you don't get wet from rock" mean!?

lol you can't get water from a stone, I guess

[rohcti]

What do any of the lyrics mean

Like Token is a sweet sounding song, but "A blast from an automatic, smooth, no jamming/A slap on a jelly ass" sounds sinister lol

[sky crawler]

I love this album,
I really like the verse and especially the bridge of Master
but I really don't like the chorus.
It's weird, I don't know if I've ever had such strong (polar opposite) feelings about parts of the same song.
It'll probably grow on me, but right now it's the most grating part of the entire album. The autotune feels too much like 808 and Heartbreaks

[tulis]

agreed, fantastic story robeless, thanks for sharing

[jetski]

I need MORE autotune tbh

[Stanshant]

roark wrote:

What do any of the lyrics mean

Like Token is a sweet sounding song, but "A blast from an automatic, smooth, no jamming/A slap on a jelly ass" sounds sinister lol

The automatic is his automatic rifle penis 'blasting' up some lady's smooth front entrance, no jamming means because he's no longer on meds he is able to ejaculate up there, too. A slap on a jelly ass is as it sounds. It's respectful fuckin 2k18 style. Body celebration.

[scrambledgreggs]

"no jamming" means there's plenty of lube

[jusswerjk]

jetski wrote:

I need MORE cowbell tbh

same

[Ethmin]

Token is absolutely about sex, Noah said so himself

wrote:

Sometimes behaviors of mine show up in the lyrics, but I'm trying to think more universally." Most surprising is the occasional lustiness that emerges throughout Buoys—specifically, on the gorgeous and cascading "Token," which finds Lennox referencing "A slap on a jelly ass" in his high register over swaths of guitar. "There's sexual interjections here and there—never a literal thing, but more representing the sexual impulse and how it can show itself in times when you might not want to think about that stuff," Lennox ruminates on the thematic territory.

taken from the Buoys write up that Lucas posted

lucasmoreira wrote:

here is the Buoys bio that came with the freebird:

Spoiler: show

From the opening minutes of Buoys, Noah Lennox's sixth solo album as Panda Bear resembles something both wholly new and intimately familiar to fans and followers of the musician and Animal Collective member's body of work. Lennox's bright, sincere voice is still front-and-center, along with his beatific approach to melodic structure and vocal phrasing—but there's miles of space surrounding it, a guitar and a few textured samples here and there fleshing out Buoys' dubby sparseness. The off-white loveliness of his 2011 LP Tomboy is recalled, as well as the sampledelia of 2007's landmark Person Pitch—but Buoys otherwise represents a surprising and intimately pleasurable new direction for an artist who's embraced not repeating oneself as its own creative ethos.

The latest Panda Bear release since 2018's vinyl-only release A Day With the Homies and the follow-up to 2015's kaleidoscopic Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, Buoys began gestating in late 2017, as Lennox joined up with producer and frequent collaborator Rusty Santos (Animal Collective, DJ Rashad, Eric Copeland) in the former's current home of Lisbon, Portugal. "He came over for some work of his own and spoke about music he’d recently been involved with—mainly sad trap and reggaeton productions," Lennox explains on how Santos became involved with Buoys. "We spoke about contemporary music and the production processes and techniques used in its creation. I hoped to translate the new songs into music that might, if only at the surface, feel familiar to a young person's ears."

One approach the pair took was dialing back the guitar-heavy structure that Lennox's early versions relied on: "When I wrote the songs, it was just guitar and singing and a simple rhythm arrangement. Rusty's first move was to mute the guitar. That was the biggest change that took place before the finished product." Another was introducing Auto-Tune as a studio tool, which was the first time Lennox had worked with the program since his 2015 remix of Eric Copeland's "Cheap Treat," and a fruitful device for exploring the limits of his own sound. "It was a long journey we went on—I wasn't expecting to before we got together, but it was fun," he explains. “I was trying to find a single vocal take to drive the whole album—not too many harmonies—and the Auto-Tune let that happen. It gave it this texture and thickness to my voice that I was otherwise using reverb or doubling to get." Lennox also cites Atlanta ("A lot of sub-bass and 808 kicks") as an influence on Buoys' sound—a logical extension of the rhythmic and sample-based work Lennox has engaged in through the Panda Bear project since Person Pitch.

Alongside Santos, Buoys also features collaborators in Chilean DJ/vocalist Lizz and Portuguese musician Dino D'Santiago, both artists who came to Lennox via Santos’ recent trap and reggaeton production work; the former contributes arrangements throughout, and both lend their vocals to the mercurial album cut "Inner Monologue." "Lizz and Dino are people Rusty had been working with in the months leading up to Buoys," Lennox explains. "Dino does a lot of work at Big Bit, the studio where we recorded Buoys, and Lizz was also around Lisbon. She had some great arrangement ideas— the snare on 'Dolphin' became a water drop sound thanks to her, and she also added crying to 'Inner Monologue,' of which I dug the connection to the crying on Person Pitch's 'Bros'."

Thematically, Buoys is concerned with both the present-day climate and the future that younger generations hold promise to. "What's going on in the world definitely influenced the album," Lennox states. "It's tough for me, because I'm not the kind of person who likes to get up and tell people how to think. I don't like shouting at people. Rather than combat the stuff in the political sphere, I'm hoping to dig a little deeper.”

This gentle, prescriptive perspective comes through on penultimate cut "Crescendo," which finds Lennox imploring to "Ripple with friends/ That ripple with you" over stretched-out guitar and layers of echo, as well as the ecstatic opening lines of the title track: "It comes to me/ It's plain to see/ Not only me, nowhere to be/ I got a ride." "It's the fulcrum for the album, lyrics-wise—the album's humility battle-cry," Lennox explains regarding the song, which was one of the first cuts written during Buoys' creative gestation. "'Leave it on the ground' is a reference to all that unpleasant stuff we've got inside us all—the unintended fruits of instincts warped. So we're all buoys, markers floating on an expanse hinting at a treasure buried deep."

"I wanted to think more universally, like behavioral psychology — why people do the things they do," he elaborates on the lyrical content of Buoys. "I'm interested in thinking about that stuff a lot, and it shows up in the lyrics. Sometimes behaviors of mine show up in the lyrics, but I'm trying to think more universally." Most surprising is the occasional lustiness that emerges throughout Buoys—specifically, on the gorgeous and cascading "Token," which finds Lennox referencing "A slap on a jelly ass" in his high register over swaths of guitar. "There's sexual interjections here and there—never a literal thing, but more representing the sexual impulse and how it can show itself in times when you might not want to think about that stuff," Lennox ruminates on the thematic territory.

"The last three records felt like a chapter to me, and this feels like the beginning of something new," Lennox states while surveying how Buoys relates to his estimable catalog so far. "It feels like I'm turning the page a little." Indeed, Buoys is full of fresh ideas from one of modern music's most fascinating, innovative, and emotionally generous artists—intoxicating in its straightforwardness, holistic in its approach to the current state of humanity, and unforgettable as the latest installment in Lennox's unbeatable career.

[speen]

I love the autotune. the vocal production on cranked, home free, token, master, its all glorious. buoys is the only one that i think is a bit much

also

Stanshant wrote:

The automatic is his automatic rifle penis 'blasting' up some lady's smooth front entrance, no jamming means because he's no longer on meds he is able to ejaculate up there, too.

[jordanrandall]

There's an obscene amount of autotune on Master. Wish he would have gone a bit softer on that one. It works really well on Dolphin, Cranked and IKIDK.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the album dropped in February and didn't have any autotune on it.

[FAF]

THAAAAAT'S THAAAAT

[Lacrimosa]

FAF wrote:

THAAAAAT'S THAAAAT

[sky crawler]

The last part of Cranked is so beautiful :’)

[jetski]

speaking of sexual lyrics, Cranked is definitely about cranking one out

[IkoOvo]

jordanrandall wrote:

There's an obscene amount of autotune on Master. Wish he would have gone a bit softer on that one. It works really well on Dolphin, Cranked and IKIDK.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the album dropped in February and didn't have any autotune on it.

fucking love it on master haha

PART OF A THANK YOU TO YOOOUUUUI

[deadwall]

Stanshant wrote:

roark wrote:

What do any of the lyrics mean

Like Token is a sweet sounding song, but "A blast from an automatic, smooth, no jamming/A slap on a jelly ass" sounds sinister lol

The automatic is his automatic rifle penis 'blasting' up some lady's smooth front entrance, no jamming means because he's no longer on meds he is able to ejaculate up there, too. A slap on a jelly ass is as it sounds. It's respectful fuckin 2k18 style. Body celebration.

Fucking LOL!

[sparagmos]

this might be a dumb question but do artists ever let an album in its unfinished stage freebird early so they can gather up criticism and make it better?

[jetski]

The closest I can think of would be The Life of Pablo, Kanye made updates to it after it was released but that was after the official release date not a freebird

I def don't think Panda did that if that's what u mean lol

[destiny]

not gonna lie, feeling the burn a bit here!! production feels like all the songs are wrapped under ceram wrap. thankfully the songs KICK ASS! i know i dont is my fav here...which i weird since buyos is here..but i think they botched that one

[speen]

I really hope that skip in IKIDK is intentional, its gonna suck if the album comes out and that endearing, trippy little jump isnt there

[glenn]

loved that story, robeless!

[panic]

I posted about this in the Bouys tour thread, but if anyone has an extra ticket or any leads on the sold out Panda Bear show at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, let me knooooow! <3

[sound science]

speen wrote:

I really hope that skip in IKIDK is intentional, its gonna suck if the album comes out and that endearing, trippy little jump isnt there

Is the skip people are referring to at the beginning of one of the lines in the verse, a line or two before the hi hats make their full entrance? If so, I always loved that from first listen, how it throws you off for a split second before he continues the vocal.

[scrambledgreggs]

songs ranked in order of how often they got stuck in my head this week:

1. token
2. buoys
3. master
4. i know i don't know
5. inner monologue
6. cranked
7. dolphin
8. home free
9. crescendo

[jerry wonder]

FAF wrote:

THAAAAAT'S THAAAAT

best part of the album

[jetski]

jerry wonder wrote:

FAF wrote:

THAAAAAT'S THAAAAT

best part of the album

yeah agreed

[FAF]

jetski wrote:

jerry wonder wrote:

FAF wrote:

THAAAAAT'S THAAAAT

best part of the album

yeah agreed

honestly might be one of my favorite single line deliveries of all time

[jerry wonder]

skycrwlr wrote:

The last part of Cranked is so beautiful :’)

someone needs to photoshop noah's face onto an image of Icarus

why did he fly so high? (too many edibles on a flight?)

[robeless]

First of all, thanks to all for the love on the story, figured this crazy collection of animals would appreciate it. After some rough and long days at work I slept for, like, 18 hours straight, waking up early this morning with only one thing on my mind... BUOYS! So after a shit ton of listens on a great set of phones, here are my thoughts...

- In the early days, listening to the boots was always a great primer to the initial album, met and crushed expeditions and all. But seeing the 1st Ave show and experiencing these songs for the first time there, avoiding boots and just being happy with that set in my memory has connected me totally to this release. I can't believe how many lyrics and melodies I remember from that night.

- As many have pointed out, the song structures remind me of the simplicity of Sung Tongs. Offering a whole new understanding of what has always felt like a mysterious album, and what Noah might've offered it.

- The end of CRANKED is indeed beautiful. The whole "why did I fly so high?" part is a fucking highlight of Pbear's career. An ironic line for me to enjoy after 3 months of sobriety from weed in order to land a better job.

- TOKEN steps up things perfectly. While not the most impressive song, it might be my favorite on the album.

- INNER MONOLOUGE feels like it was created in the 70's but then hid away from the world, only now deciding to be released; like the resurgence of Rodriguez's music and the avalanche of appreciation that followed.

- I always felt like the productions on TOMBOY and HOMIES made all the songs sound muggy, while PBVTGR felt like an album of singles, but PERSON PITCH felt like the album was a journey from one place to another.
BUOYS takes me on that same journey.

Yesterday literally marked 365 days of feeling shitty, but this album has a sense of character, a vibe, a mood that just makes me feel... better about everything... hopeful, I guess. Not cause it's new music from an artist I love, not cause of the hype.
It's the album.
Which is just simply nice and uncomplicatedly pleasant.

As I was listening I plowed through the thread since the bird was freed and I love all your thoughts. It's been hard as a fan every time an AC release is freebirded (the GIF panda posted is deflating), knowing the band must hate it so much (especially the disastrous STRAWBERRY JAM freebird coming out in sections rather than as a whole). Pre-ordering helps a little, but the guilt always stays, as it should.
But I know my love for the music is pure, as is all of yours. That's what makes this a sweet community.

And now for some more sleep to prepare for FUCKING MOODYMAN AT PAISELY PARK TONIGHT!

[Cooper]

Listened 2.5 times. This album is like frozen custard. Sweet and wonderfully cold and perfectly thick. Ever since Avey’s “call home buy grapes” single I’ve wanted him to make an electro-acoustic album and it turns out panda is the one to give me my wish. Panda got seriously sexy w this one. Still don’t feel ready to give my opinion though.. this sounds so weirdly new to my ears thatw my emotions toward it are still somewhere deep in my brain. I at least know it’s fucking good on a surface level

[Cooper]

hatredcopter wrote:

this might be my favorite animal collective related release since oddsac :-0

certainly the best since Down There. But PBMTGR and ADWTH are up there. Every other release has me thinking about how their older albums made me feel the whole time. fuck nostalgia! wait Sleep Cycle is also amazing. Im sorry avey but i think u are the problem... that hurts me to say... he used to easily be the best of the bunch.

jetski wrote:

jerry wonder wrote:

does PB write songs or create atmospheres? is there a difference?

With Panda's music and AC in general, I like that they don't really make the distinction between songs vs atmospheres, or the distinction is arbitrary to them. The balance between the two shifts back and forth, and over time it's shifted more towards songwriting, but I hear their music as a seamless integration of the two

the only other artist i see this in is aphex twin. Feels like he writes his melodies based on the timbre of the synths, his piano melodies are extremely different from his synth melodies, etc. Also see this in vampire weekend but i do not like them

[Stanshant]

Are you out of your fuckin MINNNNNDDD?

[Cooper]

Please specify