Defeat (12" Vinyl)

Animal Collective 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. “What have we become?” Avey Tare sings in an irrepressible hook, shouting the question in a way that exclaims we might still become something more. The song’s slow-motion finale feels like a fantasia vision of what’s to come—a quieter place where we can thrive together, not apart. This is the beautiful and redemptive saga of the Animal Collective condensed into one unforgettable suite, a song for holding fast even as the world spins ahead, ever faster.

‘Defeat’ on a limited edition 12-inch 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. The recorded version that appears on the 12-inch was collaged together from 11 different shows between March and September of 2022.