Animal Collective are a group of four best friends who grew up playing and recording music together in Baltimore County Maryland.

Now this group of avant-garde musicians are New York City/Washington, D.C/Lisbon based. 

Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Deakin (Josh Dibb), and Geologist (Brian Weitz). Records released under the name Animal Collective may include contributions from any or all of these members; the lineup is not uniform. The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age. Although the band is often classified as psych folk or noise rock, it is hard to define the Animal Collective sound as they often experiment with diverse styles and ideas from album to album. The group also runs the record label Paw Tracks on whichthey have released their own material as well as material by artists such as Ariel Pink, Terrestrial Tones, and The Peppermints. Paw Tracks' latest signee is Tickley Feather, with whom the band recently toured.

Why Animal?

Because it's the only word we could think of that made any remote connection to what we thought our sound was, and, of course, we love our fellow animals very much.

Why Collective?

Because we have always wanted to be the ones who define what and who AC are. Two people? Four people? Why not?

Don't be surprised if you come to see us and it's not what you thought it would be, and try not to get too upset. AC continues to make music after seven years, six studio records and one live record, that combines a love of sonic free form electronic horror gospel hip hop soul pop madness and brings it all together into something that is (hopefully) at times totally pleasing and at others completely scary and confusing but most importantly is refreshing in this crazy, crazy world.