Panda Bear – “Token” Video (Feat. Dean Blunt)

Panda Bear – “Token” Video (Feat. Dean Blunt)

Earlier this month, a whole lot of digital ink was spilled — on this site, among many other places — about the 10th anniversary of Animal Collective’s landmark LP Merriweather Post Pavilion. And in the wake of that, part-time Animal Collective member Panda Bear is coming back with his new solo album Buoys. It’s fascinating to hear how Panda’s music, which once sounded so radical and new, now feels low-key and comforting.

We’ve already posted Panda’s “Dolphin” video and footage of him playing the new song “Inner Monologue” live. And today, Panda has shared the new track “Token.” It’s a dazed, rippling sigh of a song, very much in line with what the man has been giving us for the past 15 years or so.

For the video, Panda has enlisted the services of Dean Blunt, the UK experimental producer and former member of Hype Williams. Blunt directed the “Token” video, and he stars in it, too. The clip opens with meta-commentary about all the different ideas Blunt had for the video and then explains that he “lost his mind.” So the clip becomes a story about whether or not he can smile again. It opens with a smeary, lo-fi shot of Blunt looking grumpy on some bumper cars, and it follows him as he does various other supposedly fun things, trying to recover his sense of joy. Watch below to see if he finds it.

Buoys is out 2/8 on Domino.

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