Reviews

Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter's second masterpiece in a row, and their most natural record, a one-two punch for the books.

2010

From the Archive

Review by Andrew Baer

Originally published 26 October 2010.

Deerhunter have become masters of the gentle 180. They regularly take themselves in completely new directions, all the while staying completely recognisable. Maybe it’s the elegantly simple guitar interplay of Bradford Cox and Lockett Pundt, maybe it’s Cox’s floating, ethereal falsetto, or every band member’s unparalleled ability to do a lot with a little. It’s incredibly difficult to pin down, and maybe it’s that implacability that makes them great. They can record albums that are clear homages yet manage to sound brand new; however, with Halcyon Digest, they have ceased the tributes and finally embraced the core of their sound—the basic influences Cox has discussed for years. 50’s and 60’s pop is fully embraced and wrapped in shoegaze fuzz, Cox’s stream of consciousness lyrics have never been better, and the always creative and locked-in rhythm section of Moses Archeluta and Josh Fauver is the best it’s ever been.

The album is far less immediate than their preceding masterpiece, Microcastle/Weird Era Cont., and opener “Earthquake” brings them closer to Cox’s Atlas Sound project than they’ve ever come before. It’s a slower, more contemplative song that sets the stage for a slower, more contemplative album. “Earthquake” is simplistic and beautiful, with waves of guitar noise washing over the song and then retreating.

The album then fully realises the sounds first explored on Rainwater Cassette Exchange, bringing in jangly, fuzzed-out pop with “Memory Boy” and “Revival.” They’re pure 1960s pop, and I’d call them album highlights, but that would be frivolous on an album full of them. I’d be typing “album highlight” after every song I discuss. Halcyon Digest is a series of stunningly gorgeous pop songs; it takes the peaceful, relaxed feel of Atlas Sound and improves on it tenfold. That’s not an easy task, but it should be of no surprise that Deerhunter managed it. They’ve never disappointed before, and why should they start now?

“Desire Lines” takes “Nothing Ever Happened” and strips away the noise, leaving the beautiful, simple shell, with Pundt’s enchanting vocal melodies and Cox’s angelic backing vocals wrapped in psychedelic guitar work. Indeed, “Desire Lines” is the centrepiece of the most pleasant listening experience of the year, and one of the best. I’ve been listening to it on repeat for two weeks now, and I’ve yet to find a flaw. It’s Deerhunter’s second masterpiece in a row, and their most natural record, a one-two punch for the books. They’ve established themselves as one of the best bands in the world, and I can only see them getting better. Halcyon Digest goes by like a breeze, and when it’s finished there’s nothing better to do than play it again.

Halcyon Digest was released via 4AD on 27 September 2010.