Deerhunter Halcyon Digest
Four stars
On their fourth studio album Halcyon Digest, Atlanta based Deerhunter tightened up their reins and released one of the best albums of the year.
Deerhunter is often described as “ambient punk.” With the help of Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley), Halcyon Digset is quieter than previous albums; less punk and more pop, without any sacrifice of innovation.
In an era of singles Deerhunter has done something truly impressive with Halycon Digest – they’ve created an album. Each track manages to sound unique while holding a collective sound. This album is meant to be played from start to finish.
Minimal beats ascent into a hazy synth cloud in the opener track “Earthquake.” The sound of a mandolin provides a framework for “Revival,” the album’s first single, a blissful groove with lyrics that sing of darkness and melodies that sounds like light.
“Freedom, silence, always
All this darkness … always”
Guitarist Lockett Pundt does vocals on “Desire Lines,” an 80’s-esque number with an eloquently beautiful rising and falling guitar solo.
The album spins around themes of dreams and the chase for internal youth.
On “Basement Scene” vocalist Bradford Cox sings,
“I don’t want to wake up, I don’t want to wake up
I don’t want to get old, I don’t want to get old”
The album fades to a close with “He Would Have Laughed,” where Cox mourns the passage of time “Only bored as I get older…” the perfect ending to an iridescently innovative album.
