Panda Bear’s Sinister Grift: Navigating Middle Age with a New Sound
For most of the 2000s, Panda Bear and Animal Collective redefined the boundaries of indie rock, crafting their own rulebook with albums that defied expectations. Animal Collective gained traction in the mid-2000s with their DIY aesthetic—handmade album covers, onstage masks, and a chaotic, free-spirited sound often described as both childlike and unpredictable. Reviews of their early work overflowed with references to nursery rhymes, enchanted forests, and eternal youth.
Noah Lennox, better known as Panda Bear, became known for his ethereal, choirboy-like vocals that retained their youthful essence across more than two decades of solo releases. Over the past 13 years, his voice has become a hallmark of sincerity in modern pop, gracing tracks by Daft Punk, Jamie xx, and Solange. Yet, despite Animal Collective’s reputation for whimsicality, their 2009 breakout hit "My Girls" was a deeply grounded anthem about adulthood. Against pulsating electronic rhythms, Lennox delivered a solemn vow to his family: "With a little girl, and by my spouse / I only want a proper house." Hardly the musings of a lost boy in Neverland.
Now, with Sinister Grift, his eighth album as Panda Bear, the 46-year-old Lennox turns his focus to a new phase of life: middle age. His daughter, once the little girl referenced in "My Girls," is now nearly grown and even contributes to the album’s track "Anywhere but Here." Meanwhile, his marriage has ended, leaving Lennox at a crossroads familiar to many fathers—navigating shifting relationships, physical wear, unfulfilled dreams, and the passage of time. "I can feel the miles on my knees," he admits on "50mg," while "Ends Meet" wrestles with mortality: "Punching you in your gut / It's gonna take good care of you / you can't choose," followed by a resigned shrug in the chorus: "What else can I do?"
Throughout his career, Lennox has thrived under self-imposed limitations, using constraints as a creative catalyst—whether recording Young Prayer in the house where his father passed away, crafting Person Pitch almost entirely from samples, deconstructing acoustic guitar textures on Buoys, or reinterpreting songs in mariachi form for a 2024 EP. His latest challenge? Transforming Panda Bear from a solo project into a full-fledged indie band. For the first time, Sinister Grift features all four of his Animal Collective bandmates, along with contributions from his daughter, lap steel guitarist Walsh Kunkel, Cindy Lee, and his new partner, Rivka Ravede of Spirit of the Beehive. The result is a broader, more communal sound that subverts expectations for a 2025 Panda Bear record.
Yet, despite the expanded lineup, Sinister Grift remains unmistakably Panda Bear. Psychedelic textures, dub influences, minimalist electronics, and surf-pop melodies all remain intact—now delivered with the relaxed energy of longtime friends jamming together. Avey Tare’s presence is felt in hazy vocal harmonies and experimental instrumentation, seamlessly supporting Lennox as he processes life’s transitions.
The album opens with "Praise," where Lennox sings "I'm holding on to you / my heart it bends before it breaks," setting a tone of bittersweet introspection. The breezy "Ferry Lady" juxtaposes dark thoughts with shimmering guitar and Deakin’s synth-trumpet flourishes, evoking the golden glow of a Mediterranean sunset. The first half of the album balances lyrical melancholy with music that remains hopeful and vibrant, but the back half slows down, allowing the weight of change to settle in.
"Venom’s In" moves at a deliberate pace, its chorus ("the venom's in / sick cuz it's working / bruised and it's hurting") channeling the raw pain of loss. The emotional climax comes with "Left in the Cold" and "Elegy for Noah Lou"—the former placing Lennox’s angelic vocals over a sparse, floating arrangement as he laments "left in the cold / left to grow old," while the latter revisits the introspective, grief-stricken terrain of Young Prayer two decades later. With little more than Lennox’s voice, delicate guitar, and Geologist’s ambient flourishes, it stands as a haunting peak in his discography.
Yet, even amid the sadness, Sinister Grift is ultimately about resilience. Its closing mantra encapsulates the enduring spirit of Panda Bear’s music: "Seeking as travelers do / looking, but long in the tooth / for you."