Back in August 2006, Animal Collective announced their intention to release a visual record. It sounded like a great idea – but despite occasional muttered updates, was the thing ever going to see the light of day?
However, in an exclusive interview with The Quietus, Noah Lennox – aka Panda Bear – confided that the album was completed and would finally be released in 2010.
"Yeah, we finished it actually," he said when asked if the band were still working on the project. "That should be coming out sometime next year."
For the album, the band have collaborated with their friend Danny Perez, who made the video for their single ‘Who Could Win A Rabbit?’ as well as providing visuals for their live shows.
"We’ve on and off talked about this idea of doing a visual record with some sort of harmonious relationship between the images and music," said Noah. "Not like a narrative story – it was more like if you listened to the album and closed your eyes, you would see these images.
"It was something that got worked on here and there for a long time, and now we’ve finally finished it."
According to Noah, the band haven’t yet decided on a release date for the record, and he wasn’t able to reveal its title, adding: "Um, I think we’ve decided on a name but I can’t reveal that information. I know that sounds really douchey, but I don’t want to be the one who spills the beans and have everyone come down on me."
However, he did reveal that the album would have eight tracks on it. "I think it’s eight," he said. "I don’t think we’ve totally decided on how we’re going to release it yet. The first thing we want to do is have it screened in theatres. I’m not sure how it will be packaged, but that’s how we initially want to show it."
Noah also hinted that Animal Collective would begin working on new material next year. "I think we’re gonna go to Australia and New Zealand and start talking [about a new record]. It will be the very very beginning of the process.
"I’m sure the work will begin on it in some form next year."
