Animal Collective’s Avery Tare & Geologist Combine Lofty Forces as Croz Boyce On Daring Self-Titled Debut (ALBUM REVIEW)

Despite being labeled as such from the start of their career, Animal Collective have never been “pop,” at least in any conventional sense. The amorphous gathering of forward-thinking multi-hyphenates has done more to resist being boxed in than has, employing fantastical experimentation that results in a transportive, otherworldly cacophony of bliss and horror. Even as Animal Collective has branched out into some mystical, tentacled beast, with members venturing into solo careers even more daring than their work as a unit, their genre-less approach has gone on to encapsulate glitchy electronics and a more lush, digestible display of prowess. Still, all roads lead home, though home looks a bit different for Dave Portner and Brian Wentz. 

Portner, better known as the mind behind Avery Tare, and Wentz, who was the most recent Animal Collective contributor to step into the solo realm under Geologist, combine forces as Croz Boyce. The offshoot of the beloved, not-so-pop outfit has taken their innate, unified spirit and stretched it across nine warping instrumental numbers on Croz Boyce, the self-titled debut from the freshly minted duo. Emphasizing all the weirdness of Animal Collective, carrying over the electro-ambiance of Geologist, and the risk-filled, off-kilter structures of Avery Tare, Croz Boyce plays like a risky night of drug experimentation, minus the horrifying hallucinations and unwelcomed repressed memories. Croz Boyce is not a reinvention of either artist, but rather two friends presenting their sonic findings since they last worked together, like two children sharing a collection of cool rocks they found in a creek. 

There is something inherently ethereal and confusing about the debut of Croz Boyce, but confusion, in this context, is a good thing. You can’t discover anything new living in constant comfort. These nine songs encourage the listener to sit back, open their mind, and toy with the notions they thought were concrete. Much like other Animal Collective solo projects, Croz Boyce is not a digestible listen, but rather a necessary one, like a sour-tasting pill for a headache. However, that appears to be how these songs are designed. Complex structures allow these droning, left-field tones to flourish to their full potential, as they dance with the unpredictable in a captivating manner. “Abundant River Zap,” for example, features piercing electronics that build up obstacles for the downtrodden guitars to navigate, creating an enticing display of the two worlds that collide on Croz Boyce. 

Wentz’s soaring electronic tendencies and Portner’s guitar antics act as two separate characters throughout Croz Boyce, and when those two get on the same level, a spark is ignited. Moments like “Steven’s Sunshine Rejected” play with psychedelic ambiance beautifully, while songs like the stunning “Towson Acid” and the spontaneously sparse “Eternal Dream Drone” act as adventurous sonic epics set in some unknown land. It is in these moments that the duo’s collage-style antics come into full view, and a detailed portrait of venturesome music unfolds, and another listen ensues. 

Regardless going against all conventions and ridding itself of repetition, Croz Boyce is an album that begs to be heard again and again. The nine-song self-titled debut from Wentz and Portner showcases a naturally formed partnership that refuses complacency, taking on the challenge of bringing their lofty visions to life. There is a consistent, unignorable energy behind every moment of Croz Boyce, one that requires your full attention at first, only to become a daily listen that makes the mundane a bit more tolerable.