Bradford Cox on “Element”

“an elegy for ecology (a landscape done in toxic watercolors)”, ‘Element’ follows in the footsteps of album opener ‘Death in Midsummer’.

The Atlanta quintet’s eighth album Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared forgets the questions and makes up unrelated answers. It gets up, walks around, it records itself in several strategic geographic points across North America. It comes home, restructures itself and goes back to bed to avoid the bad news.

What they spend their time doing instead is reinventing their approach to microphones, the drum kit, the harpsichord, the electromechanical and synthetic sounds of keyboards. Whatever guitars are left are pure chrome, plugged straight into the mixing desk with no amplifier or vintage warmth. The result is as thrilling, haunting, and unpredictable as anything in their roughly 15-year career.

Deerhunter have made a science fiction album about the present. Is it needed right now? Is it relevant? Perhaps only to a small audience. DADA was a reaction to the horrors of war. Punk was a reaction to the slow and vacant ’70s. Hip Hop was a liberated musical culture that challenged the notions presented wholesale about the African-American experience. What is popular music today a reaction to?

Deerhunter
Live Dates

January 17 – LOS ANGELES, Lodge Room !
January 21 – OSAKA, Bigcat *
January 22 – NAGOYA, Electric Ladyland *
January 23 – TOKYO, O-East *
February 15 – NASHVILLE, TN, Cannery Ballroom #
February 16 – Chicago, IL – Art Institute Of Chicago (Modern Wing)
February 17 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
February 18 – CLEVELAND, OH, Mahalls 20 Lanes %
February 19 – DETROIT, MI, El Club %
February 21 – TORONTO, ON, Danforth Music Hall %
February 22 – MONTREAL, QC, Le National %
February 23 – NEW HAVEN, CT, College Street Music Hall %
February 24 – BOSTON, MA, Royale %
February 27 – BROOKLYN, NY, Brooklyn Steel % &
March 01 – PHILADELPHIA, PA, Union Transfer &
March 02 – WASHINGTON, DC, 9:30 Club &
March 03 – BALTIMORE, MD, Ottobar
March 05 – PITTSBURGH, PA, Mr. Small’s Theatre &
March 06 – LOUISVILLE, KY, Headliner’s Music Hall &
March 08 – SAVANNAH, GA, Savannah Stopover Music Festival
April 25-27 – MARFA, TX – Marfa Myths Festival
May 3-5 – ATLANTA, GA – Shaky Knees Festival

! with Confusing Mix of Nations
* with Gang Gang Dance & Ex:Re
# with Faye Webster
% with Mary Lattimore
& with L’Rain