Josh Dibb aka Deakin shares five favorites with us in celebration of Animal Collective’s new album.

Animal Collective’s Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin, and Geologist meet genius producer and analog champion Russell Elevado on their latest album Isn’t It Now? Beyond working on seminal albums from D’Angelo, The Roots, and Kamasi Washington, Elevado is also part of the crucial Analogue Foundation “which seeks to enable more people to discover, learn and enjoy the qualities of analogue” through listening experiences, seminars, and collaborations. It’s a perfect fit for the now veteran quartet, and the new album shines as an exploration into more straightforward psychedelic pop territory with the group’s signature electronic trickery still at play, but more subtly and in the background behind some beautifully recorded “traditional” sounds (acoustic piano, drums, bass, guitar).

From the liner notes: “After nearly a quarter-century as one of its generation’s most daring and defining bands, Animal Collective remains committed to the beginner’s mind. The bands structure has long been that of a playground, an open space for exercising and indulging new notions and influences, for saying “Why not?” from way up on the high beams. Maybe that means allowing Panda Bear to focus on his drumming more or encouraging Deakin to dig more deeply into his piano playing. Or perhaps it is giving Avey Tare and Geologist’s burgeoning interest in Renaissance music—plainchant, the hurdy-gurdy, gilded polyphony—space to bloom. Those impulses are at the very core of Isn’t It Now?, the second Animal Collective album in as many years and a striking landmark on their joyously circuitous journey.”

Last week, we hosted a listening session at our headquarters where guests heard the new album in its entirety for the first time. Longtime friend of the band Ako Jefferson played a selection of favorites in the courtyard.

To celebrate the album’s recent release, Josh Dibb aka Deakin shared 5 favorites with us along with write-ups about each selection.

Francois Bayle – Toupie Dans Le Ciel

“This track from one of the leaders of the GRM is like warm brain music to me.  I like to listen with my eyes closed and visualize my neural pathways sparking and humming.  Made in 1979 it feels like a precursor to something like Wolfgang Voigt’s Gas project.”

Scribble – Mother of Pearl

“A rare instance where a cover of a song grabs me more than the original.  Written by Roxy Music, Scribble’s version just hits an emotional pocket which is very special to me.  This is a song that I can sometimes listen to on repeat.  It sparks a particular type of emotional longing that I am drawn to.”

Joanna Brouk – The Space Between

“I spent a lot of time with this piece of music while undergoing some psychedelic therapy earlier this year.  I think it’s an astonishing piece of music. I think the way this was put together is masterful. It is a truly meditative piece that both encourages one to dive deeper but leaves the space for your own story to come out in the moment.  I love the recording of it. So many subtle layers of sound and the way that you can hear artifacts of the tape make it all the more special.”

Duke Ellington – Fleurette Africaine

“Joined by Mingus and Roach this recording always haunts me.  Seems to be very inspired by Erik Satie. I just love everything about this. The piano piece is brilliant but Mingus technique on the bass gives it this sort of alien mournfulness. Very emotional bass lines and then Max’s incredibly restrained and soft drums are so perfect.  One of those recordings that I wish I could have seen first hand what the atmosphere was in the studio when they got it. Sacred music.”

Dillard & Clark – Polly

“Gene Clark. Just one of the best that ever did it. This version of Polly is so magical to me. Many songwriters I would imagine would feel drawn to make a song this beautiful much longer.”