News: Free MP3 download to celebrate Animal Collective's next single

Animal Collective are releasing the next single from their rather glorious Merriweather Post Pavillion album on June 29.  The sunny psychedelia of 'Summertime Clothes' is undoubtably a highlight from an already pretty damn awesome album so if, for whatever reason, you are yet to check out the album then make sure you have a listen.  The band recently performed the song live on Letterman, check it out:

The single comes backed with a collection of remixes (one of which is by current retro whizz kid Zomby).  If you can't wait or just fancy a free download then the band's label Domino are giving away one of the mixes for free (well, in exchange for the usual personal data) over at the Domino website.  You'll get the Dam-Funk Remix there - is a warm, dubby affair - BlackPlastic has a temptation to feel that remixes of material this good are kind of pointless but this mix does a pretty good job of putting a nice spin on the original.

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Album Review: Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective

One of the best albums from recent years that has this far been totally overlooked by BlackPlastic.co.uk is Panda Bear's Person Pitch: a glorious Catalan summer daydream of an album. We were too late to consider a review with Person Pitch, but two wrongs a right does not make... now that Panda Bear is back doing his day job in Animal Collective we didn't want to let another great album pass without comment.

Merriweather Post Pavillion takes what Panda Bear learnt on his solo project - all afternoon sunshine, Beach Boys vocals and samples - and apply it to Animal Collective.

And the thick and fuzzy experimentation that ensues is glorious. From the psychedelic opener of In The Flowers through through to ridiculously joyful closer Brother Sport. Via the inspirational My Girls with its I Feel Love Your Love (you know what we meant) synth and anti-materialistic but big hearted and honest lyrics through the warbling bumblebee basslines, bursting bubbles and free falling in love sounds of Summertime Clothes.

Merriweather Post Pavillion sounds like days spent chasing beautiful girls in white dresses down sunbathed white-washed back alleys in southern Europe. It is the sound of a band simply having the bestest time, falling out of the melody tree and hitting every branch on the way down.

The soundtrack to the summer in January? It just might be.

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