Courtesy of pbvsgr.com
Animal Collective member Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear, has hidden a mixtape within the psychedelic chaos of his new website, PBVSGR.com. The acronym seems to confirm persistent rumors that his upcoming album will be entitled “Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper.” Many believe this little surprise also suggests that the new album is on its way soon, as it was initially set to release sometime in late 2014.
The new website is very enigmatic. When you open it up, there is no text or navigation of any kind, aside from a tiny Tumblr button in the upper right-hand corner. The site starts out as a full-screen animation of rushing, rainbow swirls, paired with distorted static that sounds like a radio stuck between stations. Scrolling down exposes a dizzying black and white striped pattern. If you look closely, you can see the letters PBVSGR woven vertically into the design. As soon as this piece is visible, the radio noises stop and the mixtape begins to play.
From the Tumblr link at the top, you will find that the Panda Bear tape is entitled “Mix Ticks,” which is likely a play on the word “mystics.” The 40-minute trip unveils glimpses of Lennox’s new material, blended with interesting sound effects and songs from other artists. Some of the sampled works include “Glaze” by Container, “Small Fortune” by Silk Flowers, and a Laidback Luke remix of a Moodyman track. The mix begins with a recurring phrase that sounds like “I believe.” Snippets of new Panda Bear tracks are especially audible at 15:20 and 28:05. The 15:20 marker reveals part of a song he has tentatively titled “Fill Those Spaces” or “Nadir.” The 28:05 point showcases another new track, which will either be called “Can’t Come Back” or “Tropic of Cancer.”
The disorienting Easter egg format of Panda Bear’s mixtape is pretty exciting. PBVSGR has had somewhat of a Paul is Dead effect on fans as they try to dig up more clues within the site. Perhaps these kind of standalone, artistic webpages will become the modern version of all those gorgeous postcards, inserts, and lyric sheets that used to spill out of record sleeves.