Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished (Remastered 2023)

Animal Collective have announced a reissue of their very first record Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, due out May 12 on Domino. Originally released in a very small CD-only pressing on their own Animal label in August 2000 and credited to Avey Tare & Panda Bear prior to the full, collective band name being used on releases, Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished has been praised by Vulture for its “starry-eyed sense of songcraft” and described by Pitchfork as “a masterful piece of electro-acoustic fairy-tale music; yet its squealing electronics, and vitrified rhythms suggest something darker. Like a Snickers bar with a razorblade in it.”

The reissue features remastered audio, new artwork by Abby and Dave Portner, and the A Night at Mr. Raindrop’s Holistic Supermarket EP, which contains five previously unreleased tracks, including a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” that were recorded from the same era and mixed by Animal Collective’s Deakin. The remastered album will be available physically on standard 2xLP, and an expanded edition containing the EP will be available digitally and physically via deluxe 2xLP & 2xCD formats

Chiming laments for a childhood’s end, the debut album from Animal Collective, 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. Originally released in 2000 and credited to Avey Tare & Panda Bear prior to the full, collective band name being used on releases, this reissue features remastered audio and new artwork by Abby and Dave Portner.