Review
With "Sinister Grift," Panda Bear dusts off early rock 'n' roll and gives it a fresh coat of technicolor paint. Noah Lennox brings his Animal Collective pals—David Portner, Brian Weitz, and Josh Dibb—into the fold, letting their collective synergy shine alongside surprise appearances by Patrick Flegel and Rivka Ravede. There's a gorgeous interplay between retro guitar jangle and the spacey psychedelia that's long marked Lennox's work, but this time, the songs are more direct, as if the haze has cleared just enough to let the melodies really strut.
The album was woven together in Lennox’s Lisbon home studio, co-produced with Josh Dibb, and the cozy, lived-in vibe is unmistakable from the crackle of opening track "Praise" to the biting shimmer of "Venom's In." "Sinister Grift" feels like a pivotal chapter—there’s a comfort in hearing echoes of classic rock filtered through Lennox's sun-dappled lens, yet dramatic new colors emerge thanks to those crisp arrangements and the joyful reunion with his bandmates. It’s a loving nod to the past, with both feet confidently planted in the here and now. - Lennon
