Panda Bear makes big waves with his latest album, “Buoys”
Noah Lennox, otherwise known as Panda Bear, returns with his 5th full length LP, Buoys. This just a year after the release of his “A Day with The Homies” EP, which only had a vinyl release. Once again Panda Bear is joined with producer Rusty Santos, who helped him with one of my favorites of his releases, Person Pitch. Most notably, Panda Bear is a member of experimental music group, Animal Collective, but once again he’s proven why he’s not just another drop in the pond.
Buoys shows Noah Lennox taking a left turn in terms of his approach, which now displays a more aquatic and wavy sound when it comes to production. On the title track, “Buoys”, we see him open with what can only be described as the crashing of waves and then disperses into sprays of water which come down on the listener like a waterfall. The best stretch is from the opening track to “Inner Monologue” which caps off the run of this album with a very personal and introspective sound that seems fitting in the context of Panda’s discography. A quiet guitar strum plays over a woman crying and then Noah’s vocals enter the room, both very subtly while also with a certain air of panic, and it creates a quite personal atmosphere. Theatmosphere is something I can’t ascribe to much music that I’ve heard. Sadly, this album doesn’t have the most fitting ending, the final two tracks fail to keep up the energy and sometimes quiet self-contemplation that gives this album its character. Though, individually, both “Crescendo” and “Home Free” are quite enjoyable. Overall, I’m glad Panda is taking a new direction and I highly recommend checking out his previous solo albums, to get a taste of what has come before. “Person Pitch”,for example, is thealbum that stands out the most. Noah Lennox has once again proved himself as an experimental artist who can adapt to a new sound and make the best out of it, even if it’s like nothing else he’s done before.
