Avey Tare, a member of the indie-fodder, electro-psychedelic group Animal Collective, along with former Dirty Projectors’ bassist Angel Deradoorian and ex-Ponytail drummer Jeremy Hyman, have created an experimental, horror-film inspired hipster super group named Slasher Flicks. The final product, Enter the Slasher House, is a fun, wild and eclectic pop album that digs deep into the finer details of psychedelic music.
Starting with “A Sender,” Enter the Slasher House sounds like a continuation off the last Animal Collective album. It features vocals smothered in effects—upbeat and looped electronic beats—and shaky guitars. Listeners leave this song thinking they are hearing a familiar Tare song. However, the next song, “Duplex Trip” is a song that paradoxically has a tighter, refined sound but a rickety, indistinguishable vocal/guitar relationship. “Blind Babe” comes next, a speedy carousel of industrial percussion, flickering synths and repetitive vocals.
“Little Fang,” the album’s single, sticks out of the entire batch of songs. It satisfies the mainstream with its radio-friendly pop sound, ease and happy-go-lucky lyrics. Subsequently, “Catchy (Was Contagious)” changes the pace of the album abruptly with a chaotic jumble of Rush-inspired synths, an upbeat drumbeat and Tare’s signature incoherent vocals.
The motif of a scary, yet fun and excitable fun house drives the album throughout. As “Catchy” fades out, a sample from a television ad saying “guaranteed to get rid of evil spirits” bridges the next song. The only certainty in this album is that each track will be a new attraction, an exhilarating ride that only established fans will come to love.
Enter the Slasher House isn’t for everyone, but is so refined that it satisfies a specific Avey Tare fan base. Overall, he has experimented with two friends and established musicians to make a trippy, terrifying and impressive album.
Grade: B
