Everything Everything - Re-Animator (2020) [CD-Rip]

The band’s approach to Re-Animator was to streamline the creative process by focusing on harmonies and melodies over synths and programming. Inspiration came thick and fast: wonderment at the wider world despite the horror of its politics; existentialism and the prolonged, if fading, youthfulness of being in a touring band; and the ominous threat of climate change.

All things which contribute to a sense of one door closing while another awaits. Extensive reading shaped such ideas further, especially regarding frontman Jonathan Higgs’ fascination with the eminent psychologist Julian Jaynes’ theory of the bicameral mind. It argues that early in human evolution, the two sides of the brain were next to each other but functioned independently. In essence one side would hear the other sending instructions via a disembodied voice -a zombie-like state of pre-consciousness.

“This idea of the divided self captivated me,” said Higgs. “Jaynes attributes this to the origin of gods, people ascribing deity status to this voice they could hear in their head. All this blew my mind, and I started thinking of ways I could make this a central concept.

It really touched me. So across the whole record there are millions or references to this theory – to having a split brain, two selves, hearing voices.” Fittingly, the album also emerged in two stages. A year of writing and demoing was followed by two weeks recording at RAK last December with producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, David Byrne).

He complemented the band’s back-to-basics nature by encouraging them to record quickly and decisively. It’s a looser, less cluttered sound that heightens their focus on the fundamentals of songwriting.

AllMusic Review by Marcy Donelson
Everything Everything's fifth studio album, RE-ANIMATOR, follows a pair of rousing, socially and politically charged U.K. Top Ten releases in Get to Heaven and A Fever Dream. A sleeker, less hectic album that pauses to take stock of things, RE-ANIMATOR also marks the launch of the group's own AWAL label. It was produced by first-time collaborator John Congleton, known for his work with acts like St. Vincent and Spoon as well as Lana Del Rey and Angel Olsen. According to the band, RE-ANIMATOR also represented a renewed focus on songwriting, with Congleton doing his part by limiting takes and time spent in the studio. Near flawless performances, including Jonathan Higgs' reliably emotive vocals, still emerge, as is evident from opening track "Lost Powers." It starts with whirring mechanical effects and a spare guitar hook before an equally efficient rhythm section and Higgs' reflective vocals join in. String-like synths (or processed strings) and rich vocal harmonies are among the few other components added as the song gathers energy and switches to heavier drums and fuzzier guitar tones for its climax. However, the track remains focused and melodic. The same can be said of the rest of the album, with not much separating the songs in terms of quality hooks, engaging melodies, and the commingled feelings of warmth and apprehension. Following songs with grandiose titles like "It Was a Monstering" and "Planets," the driving "Arch Enemy" makes metaphorical reference to kings and sphinxes while taking musical inspiration from the chord structure of Allegri's "Miserere." Later, with otherworldly lyrics, "In Birdsong" ("I hear me sing a song that I cannot begin to understand") makes due with percussive acoustic accompaniment, light keys, and strings – at least to begin – under a soaring, yearning vocal delivery. Throughout, RE-ANIMATOR's crisp, melancholy anthems, if less colorful than prior albums, remain captivating, bringing with them an existential poignancy that lingers beyond the closer, uptempo rocker "Violent Sun," and its apocalyptic chorus ("I wanna be there!/When the wild wave comes/And we’re swept away").

Tracklist
1. Lost Powers (03:41)
2. Big Climb (03:54)
3. It Was a Monstering (04:34)
4. Planets (03:57)
5. Moonlight (03:40)
6. Arch Enemy (03:51)
7. Lord of the Trapdoor (04:26)
8. Black Hyena (03:58)
9. In Birdsong (05:13)
10. The Actor (04:04)
11. Violent Sun (04:00)