Collected Animals

dig the song! hate the video!

would people be cool with AC (or other musicians you like) using AI in their music?

There’s a world of difference between using AI elements in a music video and making music itself with AI. There’s also a world of difference between using AI as a tool for art and generative AI as a replacement for the art itself. I believe Danny is self aware enough to understand this, and surely he must’ve recognized something in the way AI looks that relates to his visual style, of which he’s been doing successfully for decades now. I’m sure you can make the argument that it’s unnecessary and uncanny but like that’s been Danny’s output, there shouldn’t be any surprises here that he’s playing around with a new toy.

As long as it’s a tool to be used to enhance art and not an outright replacement for it, then what’s the problem? It’s fine to not like how it looks but just dying on the hill of ALL AI BAD seems futile. No need to cry that the sky is falling because one music video looks like AI. Remind me, did everyone get this up in arms about the In My Body video? That was 100% AI generated

To echo the less controversial sentiments ITT, love the vibe of the new song and the synth trumpet is a pleasant surprise. Was kinda hoping it would’ve been Praise but the whole album is gonna be full of bangers and I can’t wait for 2/28

Idk, maybe I’m just being contrarian. But I genuinely don’t get it. What’s the human touch in sequenced beats and triggered samples? There’s always a human at the wheel, I guess is what I’m saying. So, to me, I just don’t have the same visceral negative reaction to its use.

Exactly this.

As for singling out AI as "bad for the environment"... I have bad news for these people about the realities of modernity. To plague AI with the ills of being "unsustainable" just hysterically attributes a moralism to something not understood in itself. Everything in and of modernity can essentially said to be unsustainable. Maybe we should stop mining rare minerals and destroying so-called third world ecologies to build these guitar pedals, these samplers, these hard drives and vinyl records...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEfaRr_Susy/?igsh=NTNsMWZqdTI4Z2pl

wrote:

New Panda Bear Single out today: Ferry Lady. Here's the video. AI was used here like I used everything else: rip it up, edit it, layer it and repurpose. It's just another tool I'lluse to continue making work cause it's only getting harder out here. be good to your fellow weirdos.

clap clap clap

preacherben wrote:

Idk, maybe I’m just being contrarian. But I genuinely don’t get it. What’s the human touch in sequenced beats and triggered samples? There’s always a human at the wheel, I guess is what I’m saying. So, to me, I just don’t have the same visceral negative reaction to its use.

Exactly this.

As for singling out AI as "bad for the environment"... I have bad news for these people about the realities of modernity. To plague AI with the ills of being "unsustainable" just hysterically attributes a moralism to something not understood in itself. Everything in and of modernity can essentially said to be unsustainable. Maybe we should stop mining rare minerals and destroying so-called third world ecologies to build these guitar pedals, these samplers, these hard drives and vinyl records...

Im less upset by the ethical/environmental implications, which there definitely is an argument for. It is just that I, like many, am tired of being fed boring, uninspired digital slop at every corner. Is it wrong to desire a human touch? Why are we settling for something that looks and feels awful at worst and mediocre at best? Because its new?

Bad CGI created by people is bad enough, now it's bad CGI created by computers.

Song is cool, video is bad regardless of AI

Spoiler: show

Your fun cute comic misses my point entirely. Do you get a kick out of making me "unspoil" your post though? Genuinely curious as to why you hide it.

What I'm pointing to is a kind of hysterical, moral panic at AI as such. I am not an AI proponent, however. I share basic concerns that are expressed in this thread about art and AI. But I can't help but see a forest is missed through trees here.

Funny enough, I loathe nearly every AC video. I kinda like this one.

Last videoI liked from the guys were the reaper ones. Not into this one.

I love how playful his melody is on the song.

Last videoI liked from the guys were the reaper ones. Not into this one.

I love how playful his melody is on the song.

i thought the Homies videos were cool. But I don't know if they count as "music videos" per se.

r_o_s_s wrote:

Spoiler: show

Your fun cute comic misses my point entirely. Do you get a kick out of making me "unspoil" your post though? Genuinely curious as to why you hide it.

What I'm pointing to is a kind of hysterical, moral panic at AI as such. I am not an AI proponent, however. I share basic concerns that are expressed in this thread about art and AI. But I can't help but see a forest is missed through trees here.

Funny enough, I loathe nearly every AC video. I kinda like this one.

Idk man I just think ai art is ugly and terrible for the environment and wholly unnecessary. I’ve never seen AI art which comes close to real art made by a real human being.

I’m gonna come out and say if no one told me the video was AI I wouldn’t know id just think it was another out there video and move on.

More importantly the song is a nice little bop. Love the dubby feel and melody. The production is capital C crisp. I’m also a fan of Noah’s less cryptic lyrics this time around. I’m almost getting breakup
Record vibes from the lyrics of this and defense. They definitely evoke some more emotional depth that resonate with me lately.

I’m gonna come out and say if no one told me the video was AI I wouldn’t know id just think it was another out there video and move on.

More importantly the song is a nice little bop. Love the dubby feel and melody. The production is capital C crisp. I’m also a fan of Noah’s less cryptic lyrics this time around. I’m almost getting breakup
Record vibes from the lyrics of this and defense. They definitely evoke some more emotional depth that resonate with me lately.

Yep getting the same vibes from this and defense. I am definitely looking forward to what he has to say on the rest of the record.

Rosie Oh vibes. Where Rosie felt I was moving through a jungle this one is like riding down a river. Panda and dub go together so well.

preacherben wrote:

Idk, maybe I’m just being contrarian. But I genuinely don’t get it. What’s the human touch in sequenced beats and triggered samples? There’s always a human at the wheel, I guess is what I’m saying. So, to me, I just don’t have the same visceral negative reaction to its use.

Exactly this.

As for singling out AI as "bad for the environment"... I have bad news for these people about the realities of modernity. To plague AI with the ills of being "unsustainable" just hysterically attributes a moralism to something not understood in itself. Everything in and of modernity can essentially said to be unsustainable. Maybe we should stop mining rare minerals and destroying so-called third world ecologies to build these guitar pedals, these samplers, these hard drives and vinyl records...

what immediately invalidates this argument in regards to AI is that, while there are tons of unsustainable practices and forms of consumption that we are forced to participate in to survive and do the things we want to do, using AI is a choice that is very easy to simply not utilize so it's pretty valid to criticize the use of it

as someone who didnt care for defense, i'm thrilled that i'm really loving this song - sort of my idea of how i thought buoys would be. definitely reinvigorated my excitement for this album

honestly the only difference I see in the final product of the video wrt AI usage is that everything is basically still, there's a lack of motion a lot of his prior videos had, but the imagery itself is fine and fits the uncanny vibe he's going for. maybe it would've been "better" without it, or maybe he would've made basically the same thing but using stock images given his stuff is usually a collage anyway. I think people attributing this to "easiness" or "cheapness" are missing the point of it as a deliberate aesthetic choice and how little effort it actually saves when just used as "sample material" in the way Danny does, it reminds me of how certain people got really mad at the last OPN album for sampling AI (and frankly doing it very well.)

also not to be that guy but most of the environmental crit obviously comes from people who don't know anything about the tech beyond infographics, because a) we don't even know what tool he specifically used for this and b) assuming he just used publicly available generators the environmental impact was still probably less than buying a hamburger at McDonald's. I don't think shitting on random artists for trying to make the most of new tools available to them is really going to change anything regarding climate change lol. sorry for the fat wall of text but the tantrums I'm seeing in the youtube comments pissed me off, the song is very good and has me more excited for the album than Defense did.

Love the song. Strung meets Reset. So far this sounds like it’ll be my favorite PB album since Tomboy. Really hitting the sweet spot between pop and AC-weird, and Noah’s vox are on point. Lotta space in the production without sounding as disorienting as Buoys sometimes sounds.

Regarding the video and not regarding ai - I just can’t believe that anyone is still making music videos in 2025. For me, it doesn’t add anything to my enjoyment of music. Seems like a relic. Stylistically, I’ve found PB art to be laughably bad for basically the last ten years (certainly since buoys and maybe back to pbvgm). This video seems consistent with it all. Just not my cupatea.

Love the song!

Video doesn't really fit the song at all imo but I'm still into it. I like how danny uses AI, i think it's playful and interesting and suits his whole approach. feels less suited for what noah's doing at this point though. Hopefully a new black dice album will happen someday which he can go nuts over haha

Love the song. Enjoyed the video too - its brightness and playfulness matches how the song feels to me. I had a lovely arvo yesterday knocking work off and going for a stroll while listening.

Regarding the video and not regarding ai - I just can’t believe that anyone is still making music videos in 2025. For me, it doesn’t add anything to my enjoyment of music. Seems like a relic. Stylistically, I’ve found PB art to be laughably bad for basically the last ten years (certainly since buoys and maybe back to pbvgm). This video seems consistent with it all. Just not my cupatea.

Music videos rule

Magdalena Bay makes art of them

Haha saying that music videos add nothing / are a relic is so crazy to me. I watch music videos all the time, such an essential part of music culture, I can't imagine thinking otherwise

Regarding the video and not regarding ai - I just can’t believe that anyone is still making music videos in 2025. For me, it doesn’t add anything to my enjoyment of music.

I second that emotion. The Replacements’ video for “The Ledge” shoulda been the last one by law.

I can’t be the only one getting sugar ray fly vibes lol

Ya this track is sick-- Defense has till only grown on me slightly.

this feels like he's pushing into some slightly new vibes lyrically but also kinda singing/structure a bit maybe? and instrumentation a lil. sick

I can’t be the only one getting sugar ray fly vibes lol

ya I hear that now, immediately. thanks lol

I was thinking Panda Bear does Sublime—Fly is a great call

sugar ray is honestly so underrated

I can’t be the only one getting sugar ray fly vibes lol

Not in the official tracklist but there's definitely a Sugar Ray song on PBs Centipede Hz Transmission. Maybe it's the Black Dice stretch but I'm holding out hope PB is a fan

also not to be that guy but most of the environmental crit obviously comes from people who don't know anything about the tech beyond infographics, because a) we don't even know what tool he specifically used for this and b) assuming he just used publicly available generators the environmental impact was still probably less than buying a hamburger at McDonald's. I don't think shitting on random artists for trying to make the most of new tools available to them is really going to change anything regarding climate change lol. sorry for the fat wall of text but the tantrums I'm seeing in the youtube comments pissed me off, the song is very good and has me more excited for the album than Defense did.

I'm not fan of the big AI trend lately in media but I agree, I don't find this to be anything but virtue signaling. The OPN reaction was more than enough to convince me that people will hate on shit on principle rather understanding than the nuances.

DILWeed wrote:

also not to be that guy but most of the environmental crit obviously comes from people who don't know anything about the tech beyond infographics, because a) we don't even know what tool he specifically used for this and b) assuming he just used publicly available generators the environmental impact was still probably less than buying a hamburger at McDonald's. I don't think shitting on random artists for trying to make the most of new tools available to them is really going to change anything regarding climate change lol. sorry for the fat wall of text but the tantrums I'm seeing in the youtube comments pissed me off, the song is very good and has me more excited for the album than Defense did.

I'm not fan of the big AI trend lately in media but I agree, I don't find this to be anything but virtue signaling. The OPN reaction was more than enough to convince me that people will hate on shit on principle rather understanding than the nuances.

It's quite disappointing see that even here the discussion is about ai instead of focusing on how fucking great this track is
God bless our saviour PB

new song is pretty good but wow the video sucks lol. lazy schlock, not even that mad about the AI I just genuinely think it's shit

I think the ai discussion is a smokescreen to obfuscate most people talking about the video itself, it's ugly.
The animal collections aren't 14 years old anymore, you don't need to make these ironically hideous, unnerving, ugly, discomforting visuals in order to be edgy, memorable or novel.

It's time an artist several decades into their 'craft' show us what they're worth and actually make something well-sculpted, beautiful, and worth admiration. Hiding behind greasy, slovenly incompetence and claiming its Le Heckin Indie Style doesn't work anymore.

If PB is splitting from the band it's probably due to not being able to hide the revulsion for decades of brainrot any longer. I read into his lyrics too. I also remember that the band had a disturbing relationship with comet ping pong. Wonder why pb would be distancing himself and asking for generalized defense?

...Comet Ping Pong? Did you just invoke Pizzagate in the same sentence as Animal Collective?

...Comet Ping Pong? Did you just invoke Pizzagate in the same sentence as Animal Collective?

>yellow avatar

is this some weird ironic joke posting going on or what

is this some weird ironic joke posting going on or what

Yeah get it? I'm being ugly and unnerving and repulsive just like Danny Perez "art"
So hecking hip!

coral lord wrote:

is this some weird ironic joke posting going on or what

Yeah get it? I'm being ugly and unnerving and repulsive just like Danny Perez "art"
So hecking hip!

alright make your points about not liking his art without going too far in the ironic conspiratorial stuff please

How very progressive of you. I think my reasoning is sound. Why am I not allowed to dislike things and point out when my favorite artists/bands of all time release art I think is harmful?

Doesn't art and music make you feel something? Doesn't it make you want to talk and share when it lifts you up? Don't you like to speak up when something strange is happening around you? Learning when to say "no" or "I don't like this" or "I don't want to do this" is an invaluable skill and essential for people to not be exploited.

As an artist you need to send your work off to people who aren't going to lavish praise on you no matter what, as you need sincere opinions and reactions, unprejudiced. How does a freshman view my work? What is the NEWBIE hearing?

In this case AC has an eclectic enough fanbase that a fraction of a percent of these fans recognized patterns across a variety of mediums, connected dots, and see a worrying shadow lurking. It's entirely possible they didn't even know they were being taken advantage of, or working with dubious connections, as that's partly essential for the success of the family. Plausible deniability, the defensive element we're all familiar with.

Invoking mod voice here. Cool it on the weird edgelord shit.

Let's keep conversation about the real Sinister Grift: the 2025 Panda Bear album Sinister Grift

How very progressive of you. I think my reasoning is sound. Why am I not allowed to dislike things and point out when my favorite artists/bands of all time release art I think is harmful?

Doesn't art and music make you feel something? Doesn't it make you want to talk and share when it lifts you up? Don't you like to speak up when something strange is happening around you? Learning when to say "no" or "I don't like this" or "I don't want to do this" is an invaluable skill and essential for people to not be exploited.

As an artist you need to send your work off to people who aren't going to lavish praise on you no matter what, as you need sincere opinions and reactions, unprejudiced. How does a freshman view my work? What is the NEWBIE hearing?

In this case AC has an eclectic enough fanbase that a fraction of a percent of these fans recognized patterns across a variety of mediums, connected dots, and see a worrying shadow lurking. It's entirely possible they didn't even know they were being taken advantage of, or working with dubious connections, as that's partly essential for the success of the family. Plausible deniability, the defensive element we're all familiar with.

Invoking amused community member here.

Can you start a thread enlightening us on AC’s “worrying shadow”?