Stream: Animal Collective, “Graze” (Zamfir Jam)

In a few weeks, Animal Collective will release the Fall Be Kind EP on Domino but as usual the internet released it for them already. One of the previously mysterious tracks from the EP, “Graze,” was picked up by Stereogum on YouTube, and starts out with a few minutes of wavy atmospherics and Avey Tare singing about chilling out and stuff. But then around the three-minute mark, the claps kick in and a maniacal pan flute pipes in from what we can only assume is the seventh dimension of the AC galaxy. If you’re an ’80s or ’90s baby, you might not recognize this bewitching sound as a sample of Romanian master flutist Gheorghe Zamfir, but it is, and it is genius. Here’s Zamfir’s “Romanian Wedding Song”, which isn’t the sample’s source but is also genius. If you can tell us the source in the comments, we’ll buy you a beer tonight somewhere in New York City.

(via Stereogum

AC Bros, Crack Box Ltd Ed Prints Now Available!

How many million jokes could we make about what Animal Collective fans would be willing to do to get their hands on one of the brand spanking new, limited to 150 Crack Box screenprinted posters? Several million. But we won’t because we actually really want one too. One the best things about the Crack Box is the mindspiral Jon Vermilyea’s art induces before the needle even drops, so to have it in a format that allows us to literally roll it around our heads as if they were giant nugs in the AC cosmic spliff is a glorious thing. The only problem is that they will probably be gone by the time this post is done. Can’t hurt to try though. Here’s what the box set’s creative director, Rob Carmichael, wrote about the poster’s production:

Screenprinted in four colors to match the outer slipcase of the Animal Crack Box. Limited edition of 150 prints on high quality, all-cotton Coventry Rag 335 gsm paper. The printed area measures 18 x 35″; the full sheet measures 20 x 37″. Copies are signed and numbered by Jon Vermilyea and SEEN. Suitable for framing (PLEASE don’t simply tack this to your wall!).

And here’s where to buy it: BUY IT!

Vampire Weekend, “Cousins”

Just judging by their previous videography, you could’ve guessed Hammer & Tongs would become the Winston Churchill to Vampire Weekend’s Franklin Roosevelt (they were bros, right?). After a decade of directing high concept videos for erudite Anglos such as Pulp, Blur, Badly Drawn Boy, Radiohead and Hot Chip, and adapting A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to the big screen, the director/producer duo consisting of Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith made their way back to the colonies for last year’s twitchy “A-Punk”. For their reunion, H&T put VW on a dolly track a million times. What does it mean? Nothing!

Advertisement

Theophilus London, “Humdrum Town” MP3

If you live in New York City, Theophilus London is one of those people you run into that remind why you moved here in the first place: he hustles, he stays out late, he’s talented and still on some level doesn’t seem to think any of it is that big of a deal. Maybe that’s where the humdrum bit comes from, who knows. The single, a re-recording of “Hum Drum” from London’s This Charming Mixtape, has a new verse and new instrumental courtesy of Mark Ronson and friends, so just pretend you’ve never heard it before because it still jams, and stay tuned for an accompanying FADER TV episode coming soon.

Premiere: Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, “Animal Tracks” MP3

Alex Bleeker and The Freaks are undeniably indebted to a certain shakey-voiced, chord-slamming Canadian on this first single from their self-titled debut LP, but instead of doing impersonations it’s like they’ve extracted dopamine from his brain and dripped it into their beers, the sonic tension numbed by Bleeker’s simple short tale about drinking soda on a summer porch. We’ve met these dudes, and we would rather drink sodas on a porch with them than Neil Young about a thousand times over. That dude seems like he doesn’t even drink soda. With Bleeker, there’s no hand-wringing over how much certain things might suck—everyone knows—just relax and deal with it. The rest of the album is similarly raucously at ease, like the band’s native New Jersey has delusions that it is actually the deep, green woods (For a visual of what that might look like, watch them play “Never Going Back” in a gentrified shithouse). Alex Bleeker and The Freaks will be out on November 27th on Underwater Peoples. Make sure to pick it up.



Download: Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, “Animal Tracks”

Small Black, “Pleasant Experience” MP3

If you don’t yet know who Small Black is, first go here, let that be your favorite song for a few minutes, then come back and listen to this song, maybe take a power nap while it glides through your synapses and then go buy the new EP from whence both songs come. After that, don’t know, maybe eat a grilled cheese and some tomato soup and wonder how two kinda scrawny dudes from Brooklyn make Duran Duran sound like babies.



Download: Small Black, “Pleasant Experience” (via Transparent)

Advertisement

CFCF, “Big Love” MP3

If you follow The FADER you know that on one of our favorite dudes in the world is New York writer and bon vivant T Cole Rachel. Cole has a DJ night where he almost exclusively plays Fleetwood Mac (and we get kinda drunk), but we also know him to like some dance music. So consider this CFCF cover of the Mac’s 1987 new age jam a dedication to Cole, but take it for yourself as well—it’s like balearic weed pop, or hairy wizard disco or something. If you like it, there’s plenty more on CFCF’s new album Continent, now available from Paper Bag Records.



Download:

Beach House, “Norway” MP3

Beach House has a new record named Teen Dream ready to come out on January 26th of next year, which seems like a long time, at least for us because we’ve had the pleasure of hearing it and are ready to play it in public whenever the opportunity presents itself. But the fact of the matter is that Teen Dream will sound perfect when you’re in the throes of winter, so we’ll just go with this first single that Sub Pop just put up, the perfectly representative “Norway,” with Victoria Legrand’s weary incantations pulling Alex Scally’s ghost town transmissions through the air.



Download: Beach House, “Norway”

Video: Clipse f. Cam’ron & Pharrell, “Popular Demand (Popeyes)”

Killa steps in looking like Rasheed Wallace on vacation and rapping like Purple Haze printed in large type with the Brothers Thornton, but in 2009, if Pharrell’s chorus and lazy horns are the most exciting thing about a Clipse and Cam collabo, you can’t help but shed a lone coke-flavored tear. Directed by Rik Cordero. Til The Casket Drops is out on December 6th.

Video: No Mas x James Blagden Present the LSD No-No

DISCLAIMER: We don’t know what it’s like to be on drugs, but if we did, we would find this new animation No Mas and James Blagden made of Dock Ellis’ legendary 1970 no-hitter while on acid EXTREMELY EFFING FUNNY. But as it is that we don’t know what it’s like to experience illegal substances, it is merely a compelling tale of athletic prowess and hippie culture. Rest in peace, Dock, you were one-of-a-kind. (via A Silent Flute)

POPULAR

RECENT

THE FADER NEWSLETTER

Get weekly highlights and exclusive content from thefader.com delivered via email.