P: P: I think it took longer than usual. I think that's all. I didn't feel it was that hard. On the contrary, I only got together three or four times in two years, but before I met, I worked hard enough individually, so what to do when I meet and play, what kind of sound will be played. I'm glad I was able to figure it out. I had enough time before I met, so I was well prepared when I met. But I don't remember what kind of conversation I had before the production. I think each member had a conversation about what they were interested in at that time. In most cases, everyone brings their own themes they are interested in and gathers about 6-7 ideas. So, as I work, it's gradually narrowed down to a few. But I don't really remember what it was this time. This time, everyone may have kept the idea in themselves more than usual. But as I said, the idea for drums was what I had. That was the vision I personally drew ... Yeah, the main idea I came up with was the drums. I did some songwriting and overdubbing, but I don't think it was a big job. Deeken has keyboards and vocals, and geologists have samples and percussion. Ave feels like bass, vocals and songwriting.
──It seems that the predecessor song "Prester John" was made by combining two different songs that you and Avie wrote. Certainly your rhythm ... It's a very interesting composition where the dub element drives the first half and the Ave-like acid folk-psychedelic orientation has a presence in the second half. Are there any other songs that have been completed while being united, fused, and guided?
P: "Prester John" wasn't originally planned to be a combination of the two songs, but when they were combined, they were very compatible, and we knew that they would enhance each other's existence, so we decided to connect them. But that song was the only way to make it. The other songs were like one of the members bringing in rough demos and lyrics and developing from there. However, the lyrics have changed quite a bit towards the end. The song itself evolves in the process of making it. Again, it felt like the song was alive. That's why I wanted to get the feeling that I had finished writing the song. I feel like I'm constantly changing shape and growing. When I actually played it, it felt different.
── Changes in lyrics ……?
P: No, that's why there is no such thing as corona. We make works that we can enjoy ourselves. Even if we are not conscious of it, we can inevitably be able to unite the members, the band, and the listeners by continuing to enjoy ourselves. That's why I want to keep burning the fire. I think it's more important to enjoy making the work than to make what you have to make. By doing so, I think all listeners will be able to listen to and enjoy the work. I don't think there was any proposition that it would be better to make this kind of work, especially because it's a pandemic, except to make everyone enjoy it. I don't want the pandemic to change the way Animal Collective is. In that sense, the change in lyrics itself is limited to this time.
──In the first place, your song does not make a big groove with one rhythm, but it is basically a style that creates a unique multi-layered swell by chopping the rhythm very finely, but this time The album sounds like an unexpectedly simple method.
P: Yes, this setup was actually a traditional band setup. But I think that's actually the approach our band has never done before. I don't know if the sound itself has become traditional, but this setup itself was more "normal" than before. Of course that's a good thing. The reason why it happened ... I wish I could explain this, but I can only say that it happened in a natural way.
──In this album title "Time Skiffs", Skiff is a word that means a small boat rowing with oars. With Time, it can be read that Kobune has no choice but to leave himself in front of a big flow of time. In other words, it seems to lead to the interpretation that the old-fashioned band setup has become a "normal" shape in a natural way.
P: Oh, each song on the album is a small boat. The ship will take us elsewhere. I personally like music that takes my mind to other territories. Music that makes you feel like you're being invited somewhere. The song on this album was also named with the meaning of a song that makes you travel by boat. The word "Time" means that it will take you somewhere beyond the current time. I left the moment and looked for something that would make me wander somewhere.
── Personally, the most interesting thing about this album is the longest "Cherokee" in the album. Speaking of Cherokee, I think of a tribe of Native Americans, but what is the motif of this song? Tom Hanks is mentioned in the lyrics, and the swing-like, slightly subtle tune is also impressive.
P: This is the name of the area near where Dave lives. I can't say much because it's not a song I wrote, but I love this song. Exactly one song will take you to various places, or will this song take you somewhere? To a place you don't know. I think the rhythm is also cool. Also, it's a song that I had a little trouble with until I was able to put on a drum that fits nicely. I like the feeling that I can do what I thought I couldn't do as I challenged myself, and eventually I could not only do it, but also naturally. Is also one of the songs that made me feel the sense of accomplishment. In that sense, it's a song I really like.
──You once said something like "Someone discovers old music and shares it with others. At any time, someone will be the" epicenter "of encountering new music." .. At that time, listening to music as data was not common. Now that we are in an era of free zapping by subscription, how can we say that such changes in the listening environment have changed the existence of Animal Collective?
P: We've been listening to music mainly on albums for a long time ... I can't get the feeling of catching a single song like it is now. On the contrary, young people may not feel the album naturally, and even if you listen to the album on Spotify, if you listen to it with shuffle, it will be heard differently. I think the way we listen to music that we have cultivated is completely different from the way younger generations enjoy music, and I don't think there is any better or worse. But we're still the generation of the album, and the value we find there isn't the same. I think subscriptions were too late to change our senses. The values for our album are already complete. So I don't think Animal Collective has changed due to changes in the listening environment. When I didn't have subscriptions, I couldn't get music easily. So I bought it for the time being and listened to it, and even if I didn't like it at first, I bought it and had no other choice, so by continuing to listen to the music, I became aware of the charm of the work and gradually became fond of it. You also had the experience of going. And that will be passed on to the friends around me. But now, if you don't like it, you can skip to the next music right away. It may be difficult for the current generation to get the feeling that they will notice the charm of the songs they have met in two weeks.
──Please tell us about the music, artists, works, etc. that you have “found” in the last year or so, and that have hardly been discovered (unknown) and are reflected in this new work. ..
P: I live in Portugal right now, and my friend Maria Reis is making cool music. She sent me her own album when I was making an album and she really liked it. But I wonder if it has been reflected in this new work. If it's the music that's reflected ... it's a new discovery, but drummers Clyde Stubblefield, Steely Dan, The Meters, Bernard Purdie, and of course reggae!
