Animal Collective has released the first song from its original score for the upcoming movie The Inspection, which opens Nov. 18 in New York and Los Angeles and Dec. 2 nationwide. “Crucible” is drenched in the group’s signature vocal layering and decorated by cascades of acoustic piano.
“I wanted us to conjure the feeling of being strong but also showing vulnerability — the desire to ask a community or a loved one to have your back and support you and the expectation that it will happen,” group member Avey Tare says of the song.
The Inspection is based on the life of Elegance Bratton, who wrote and directed the project. Bratton, who is gay and African-American, enlisted in the U.S. Marines as a young man, only to battle homophobia and condemnation from his family. His character in the film is rechristened as Ellis French and portrayed by Broadway star Jeremy Pope.
“We wanted to create the right rhythms to blur the line between what French thinks is real and what is really happening, so those fantasy sequences could serve as the evolution of French’s inner life,” Bratton says. “In essence, we wanted to create a sense of the stir craziness of the monotony of boot camp, juxtaposed with the massive transformation Ellis French undergoes. Animal Collective provides the perfect backdrop to shrink and expand the time according to the emotion.”
As previously reported, Animal Collective was forced to scrap its planned fall European tour due to economic and mental health hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The group will be heard on John Cale’s upcoming album, Mercy, which will be released on Jan. 20.
Here is the track list for The Inspection:
Shelter to Inez
Birth Certificate
Bus Ride
Laws Beat
Seeing Rosales
Buzz Cuts
Reveille
Caterpillars
Phase 1
Shower Fantasy (Movie Edit)
Shower Fantasy (Original Mix)
Shower Anger
Thanksgiving
Stress Position
Drills
Phase 2
Drowning Man
Flashlights
Human Target
Cover Up
Phone Call
Phase 3
War Paint
Crucible
Fight Pit
Disappear French
Oohrah
Sixteen With Nobody
Reflection
Wish I Knew You (featuring Indigo De Souza)
