Animal Collective release 22-minute single “Defeat"

Recorded with Grammy-winning producer Russell Elevado (D’Angelo, Kamasi Washington, The Roots), the 22-minute epic is an unapologetic ode to perseverance and hope, to “staying grounded like the spruce” when the very land seems to shift beneath us.

“Defeat” features guest musicians Samara Lubelski (violin), Leila Bordreuil (cello), and Ben Chapoteau-Katz (saxophone), and is Animal Collective's first release since the 2022 album, Time Skiffs, and their original soundtrack for The Inspection.

“Defeat” will be released as a limited edition 12-inch on 25 August and will feature the B-Side “The Challenge (Live Edit)". “The Challenge” is a completely improvised track that has only been played in front of a live audience and originated as an unrehearsed intro to the song “Strung With Everything” while the band was on tour last year. The recorded version that appears on the 12-inch was collaged together from 11 different shows between March and September of 2022.

“The only time it was even discussed was after shows late in the touring cycle when it took on its own identity,” says Geologist. “‘How did we feel about the Strung intro?’ often provided the answer to ‘how was the show?’ But the discussion always ended at what happened that night, without any detailed critique, and never with how it might happen the next. We became aware the same discussions were happening amongst our fans, who were recording, uploading and listening to the shows each night. They took notice and named the section ‘The Challenge.’ This edit is for them.”