We are hugely excited to announce the latest in our series of limited edition rematered DMM vinyl reissues of classic FatCat albums – with Animal Collective’s ‘Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished’ and ‘Danse Manatee’ now available for the first time ever on vinyl.

Originally released in a very small CD-only pressing on their own Animal label in August 2000, ‘Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished’ was the debut record by one of today’s most interesting and important bands, Animal Collective. Originally credited to Avey Tare & Panda Bear (prior to the full, collective band name being used on releases), it was described upon release by TimeOut NY as “the discovery of the year” and by Pitchfork as “one of the most original sounding albums out there”.

Following our signing of the band in early 2003, FatCat announced the beginning of our association with Animal Collective with a double CD release which paired together their first two albums, ‘Spirit...’ and ‘Danse manatee’. These two albums have now been separated and each given its own vinyl edition, with expanded original artwork.

Chiming laments for a childhood's end, ‘Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished’ opens with the phrase "want to hear a secret, I know one", suggesting these secrets just might be buried deep within the flocks of high frequencies, electronic glitches, bleeps and swells that follow. The duo's approach is similar to Love's (circa ‘Forever Changes’), with Avey Tare's picked acoustic guitar flowing in perfect syncopation with Panda's tumbling drum kit. But the layers of tonal and atonal electronics that fatten the thinner pulse of the songwriter's vision make this album resemble something closer to modern electronic composition. The songs range from speedy patchwork pieces to slower piano melodies, a somehow coherent yet very fragile brand of psychedelic music - their grasp of pop hooks and dynamics being counterbalanced by a love of noise / friction and musical anarchy; their songs wavering on the tightrope between deeply affecting beauty and unrestrained chaos.

Whilst the band have gone on to rightfully become one of the most name-dropped and influential groups of the past decade, this debut effort reminds us of where they came from and remains a truly stunning and unique album.

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