Halcyon Digest

Does this bump in the whip? No. Does this make me stare out onto the road, my skin itching as I slowly drive into the gray amorphousness that swallows me, suspending me in space while time is slowed to the point where I can feel each millisecond seep into my skin, settle into my bones before it slides up my throat as I croak out the melodies to these songs, my body stretching forward as I feebly try to make contact with my loved ones, who sit just outside of this slow-time and no space as the grayness slowly digests me, breaking down each of my memories until I the only things that occupy my minds are the words to these songs? Yes. 
 This music seems to have its own temporality, like a voice is reaching out from somewhere I’ve never been, but somehow know, a nostalgia that feels more like an eerie horror than an old home. From the off-kilter percussive throbbing of “Earthquake” to the murmuring introduction of “Sailing” to the moaning that punctuates the beginning of “Basement Scene”’s chorus to “Helicopter”’s clacking which seems to rebound into itself, so much of this album feels like it is enlisting me into its own slanted rhythm, a rhythm just off beat with mine. At certain moments, it feels like I’m touching a time completely different from mine, not in the sense of a past or future, but a different sort of present, a present that moves slower, labors over every moment. Even the faster songs, like “Don’t Cry” and “Revival” and “Desire Line”, feel disjointed, feel like a world of their own. The closing song seems to me to sum up the whole of the album in its final seconds, which simply cut away just as it feels that the song is building to a conclusion, a demonstration that the music is ever so slightly distended, just a shade out of sync, recorded in a margin of time that suddenly closes itself off before we get the chance to hear what the music is fading towards. A beautiful album. 9/10. Fucking incredible.

Hello! Feminist Killjoy here... I spent a lot of this listen making a mental list of some of the female artists that I hope are coming up. (We've been listening for a month and we've heard exactly one.) So, while this album wasn't unpleasant to listen to, it had me wondering if maybe Deerhunter's dad was on the judging panel? And this isn't to say I think they're bad. If they lived down the street and played the local clubs, I'd think they are awesome. I'd be super proud of them for making stuff. But I found most of this unremarkable in the grand scheme of music and I can't help but wonder who was passed over to include it in the 1001. My rating of them is low perhaps because I'm mad at the list-makers of the world. Songs I enjoyed: Earthquake, Desire Lines, He Would Have Laughed. (And I've listened to these three several times now and like them more each time. I'm glad I've heard them. They are good.) Song I actively disliked: Basement Scene

Here's a band I didn't know anything about prior to today. Very indie. I was in a band once that had this same indie feel and I wonder now if the guitarist/singer was a fan. The first track sets the tone for the album in an unfortuate way. It's a 5-minute mishmash of rhythmic noise, sulky guitars, and shoegaze vocals. While the album does pick up from time to time, the rythmic noise elements and shoegaze vocals remain constant irritants. These lyrics are so far into their own navel that they can see their backbone. The album is self-indulgent and self-important to the point that it loses all connection to the audience and listening to it begins to feel uncomfortably voyeuristic. That said, the album is saved from a one-star by the fact that there are a few tracks that still manage to connect and because the recording production is top-notch. It really is very well produced. But you can only polish a turd so much. No matter how shiny it is, it's still crap.

Oh my god. I don’t know how I’m supposed to get into music that sounds like the musicians are bored out of their minds even while making it. There are two tracks that DON’T do this and they’re nothing special.

Helicopter was the best song. I probably could of read a haiku about baked beans though and that would of been the best song so it’s not saying much. Oh little baked bean How you taunt me on the plate My fork can’t stab you

I liked this one way better than most of the others. It sounds like someone left a Weezer or Sonic Youth album out in the rain for a week. It just SOUNDS filthy which is neat.

This couldn't be more hipster indie if it were wearing flannel and suspenders, a pork pie hat, and a ridiculous beard while drinking an IPA and planning a cross-country road trip. No, thank you.

a pretty standard indie rock album, nothing revolutionary.

I just really liked it

Just an excellent and beautiful indie record from the early 2010s. So much music from that time feels so dated, but this feels timeless for some reason. A perfect blend of psychedelic pop, dream pop, and noise. Enjoyed this so much more than I thought it would, and given the makeup of the bulk of this list, I found it very refreshing. Great record.

Spacey (in a good way, not a Kevin way). 5/10

I listened to this album numerous times. While I liked the overall vibe of the album, it felt like it all blurred together to the point I couldn't tell you much about it, except the fact that it ends very abruptly. It took a lot of listens before I stopped checking to see if something went wrong.

From what I heard, this was so atmospheric and intense and nice in an odd way. My favorite Deerhunter sound so far!

Lovely, dreamy indie music. I'd forgotten how good this is. No skips, but misses one or two standouts to take it to a 5

Low Fi fuzzy loveliness!

I first listened to this album around 5 or 6 years ago. I didn't like it and I don't remember why. Perhaps it sounded a little too 'indie' for me. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mindset. I never checked anything else out by them and always thought of them as the bad Deerhunter (as opposed to The Dear Hunter, a band that I love). Today I enjoyed the album from the start and I gave it a few listens. Overall it has a melancholy vibe to it but there are a few upbeat tracks that keep the album interesting. The opening track reminded me of something else that I'd heard before but I couldn't put a finger on what and that really clicked with me for some reason. Memory Boy, Desires Lines and Helicopter also made a strong impression but the closing track, He Would Have Laughed I am on the fence about. There's something about it I love and something that annoys the s*%t out of me I wish it didn't have such an abrupt ending, especially when Spotify likes to get into a related track after the song but that isn't it and I don't blame Deerhunter for that. Maybe I'll figure it out someday. This is one that hovers between a 3 and a 4 and I probably won't decide until I click the button.

Listened to this several times. Like some individual tracks by them but doesn't do a whole lot for me really. Favorite track is the last one. I like some of their more recent albums more.

Halcyon Digest Some moments of sweetness in a hypnotic indie-shoegaze-sonic youth way, but it suffers from being cut from the same cloth as a lot of US alt/indie from that late 00s, Pitchfork, droney, tom-tom heavy era, a style I’ve never really got on that well with. It’s perfectly adequate, but despite picking up over the last 3 songs it’s also perfectly unremarkable. While listening there were songs and parts I liked, but after I finished I couldn’t really recall anything, other than the very Jesus & Mary Chain Fountain Stairs and the synthy-bubbly He Would Have Laughed It’s fine, but really I can’t ever see myself revisiting so I’ll go for a perhaps slightly harsh 2. 🦌🎯 Playlist submission: Fountain Stairs

pretty generic indie sounds of its era, nothing too exciting and not much different from Monomania (which is better). not sure why these people are considered "influential?

mind blowing!

Really cool 2000s indie pop rock- reminds me a little of Wolf Parade or some of the other... say "twee" type bands.

Great album, happily listen on repeat.

Loved it - great atmospheric tunes and lyrics - thanks :))

Great album. Really enjoy pretty much all Deerhunter up through this album. Desire Lines was one of my favorite songs from this era. 5/5

Mellow songs, catchy vocals and crisp tones. Definitely stands out as a distinctive and enjoyable album.

This was my favorite album of that year.

I love it. Great album. While I would say that all of these tracks are highlights, the highlights of the highlights are: 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10.

beautiful album. Very much of my taste. Glad I listened to this one all the way through

This is right up my alley. Like a good indie movie soundtrack or something.

indie tranqui

Fucking amazing indie rock. A good portion of distorts and effects while maintaining the melodic strum of the guitar in the calm of the storm. Good vocal parts where it just feels right. Psychedelic rock like the old days.

I dug it. Definitely leans heavily alt/indie, but there was some nostalgia in it as well, at times reminding me of the more diverse Beatles albums.

fav songs: don't cry revival sailing basement scene helicopter fountain stairs melancholic, dreamy, nostalgic 75/100

Started off slow, but I really got into this after the fourth track or so. The complexity and beauty creeps up on you. I’m surprised such a subtle album was noticed enough to make this list.

It's the sort of album that reveals more with every listen. An album with a consistently shimmering feel that conveys a sense of nostalgia, without losing sight of its strong pop melodies. It flits from film noir to lo-fi pop, and whilst the latter category sometimes ends up feeling like a demo, overall you're left with a very pleasing album with some soaring highlights.

Dreamy indie pop psych enhanced by walking around in the unreality of noise cancelling headphones phones.

I didn't know what to expect with the Diane Arbus-ish cover. What a great surprise this was.

Highlights - Revival, Sailing, Desire Lines Halcyon Digest piqued my curiosity from the get-go, establishing a sense of wonder. It settled on a shoegazer-like, progression of dreamy and foreboding, reverb-heavy guitars...Revival is a strong, upbeat number that can be found at home in vintage clothing shops and hipster bars that sell $8 pitchers of PBR. Sailing is an auditory achievement that obviously takes the listener on a sailing trip conveyed by samples and the artist's drifting vocals. It's clear Deerhunter draws inspiration from low-fi pop acts such as Stereolab and Lush (Is it coincidence that Lush and Deerhunter both have different songs called \"Desire Lines?\")

I never got around to listening to this on release, as it came up around the time I discovered The Dearhunter, and I wasn’t going to listen to two bands with such similiar names (stupid really). This album is all over the place but I kinda like it. There’s flashes of folk punk, soundscapes, and done stuff that sounds a bit Animal Collective. Yeah this was good. Could be tighter but it’s ambitious which I appreciate.

A surprise from the list, something from the 2010s that I missed and has merit. I might have even dismissed this as slight if I heard it when it was new. But it is not slight, there's more to this than reverb + delay sad indie pop of the 2010s. Earlier this year I heard a little bit that seemed even more warped & unsettling, so Deerhoof will be on my radar now.

I much prefer The Dear Hunter, as they are a superior band, but this one is good, too. Totally different style of music. The end of Don't Cry sounds like something from Beck's Mellow Gold. I like Revival! Memory Boy is kind of a throwback. Desire Lines is a favorite here. It's on my trivia playlist, so it gets a spin every week, or so. Coronado is great, as well. I'm a sucker for a saxophone.

There's a certain chrysalistic quality to this album that sticks with me, even though most of the actual songs do not.

Deerhunter have made a fine record here, but to my ears, they don’t do much to separate themselves from their indie contemporaries of the time. It sounds like what you would expect a 2010’s indie record to sound like, if that makes sense.

I got excited because I thought this was a Dear Hunter album, but it's not.

Alright but let’s get some The Dear Hunter on here (2.5/5)

Soaked in reverb, lost in time. Why does the name Deerhunter pique my interest so quickly? Let the mystery unfold slowly. Remove the mask Scooby doo, who is haunting this fair ground ride...

Good indie twinkles, but just made me want to listen to The Dear Hunter instead.

It's an alright album, definitely feels like something to put on during a come down period.

Wasn’t really a fan. None of the songs really grabbed me and felt very background music like. Pleasant enough but nothing special.

This was a new discovery for me—I’d never heard of Halcyon Digest or Deerhunter before. That’s surprising, considering 2000–2010 indie was right in my wheelhouse. Somehow, this one just slipped through the cracks. Overall, the album leans toward fairly standard indie rock. It didn’t blow me away, but there were definitely standout moments. “Memory Boy” and “Desire Lines” caught my attention and hinted at something more interesting beneath the surface. While Halcyon Digest didn’t fully land for me, there’s something about the band that makes me want to dig deeper. I’ll definitely be checking out their back catalogue. Favorite tracks: “Memory Boy,” “Desire Lines” Least favorite: “Don’t Cry,” “Revival,” “Sailing” Album artwork: Cool cover—eye-catching and distinctive.

I found this really bland. I may be holding a prejudice against this band as The Dear Hunter are one of my favourite bands, but people always think I'm talking about this band when I mention them.

I really liked it -- can definitely see it on a Sjov

I liked it, kinda funky, but had a good beat

I'll definitely have to relisten to this one when I'm in a better head space. My flight got cancelled and I was in an airport all night. Dozing for a few minutes at a time for about 4 hours is a real fuckaroo. In case any one wondered, airport floors suck ass to lay on. I listened through twice and enjoyed what I heard but I'm pretty fucking salty today and didn't really trust my own judgement.

Easily …….

The shit I’m here for

Hell yeah great album. Love this one

I was excited to see this album pop up on the generator, it’s a beautiful psychedelic ambient masterpiece. I didn’t expect to see it included but I’m a big fan of Deerhunter so I was pleasantly surprised to see their best work included here. It’s such a moody album with intricate atmospheric arrangements. When you’re talking about 2000’s indie essentials, this stands among the most important as far as I’m concerned. Revival showcases their ability to build on anxious energy and then flow into the moodiness of Sailing is pulled off so well. Desire Lines is a banger and up there with my favourite 2000’s tracks. This is a spectacular lovely album that I assume will go under appreciated by the generator crowd but I hope it struck a chord with a few new listeners at least. 5 stars

music is love

Nothing to say besides how well made it was. Had I listened to this three years ago I wouldn’t be here today.

This scratches an itch in my brain that I didn’t even know was there. It took me so long to listen to this album because I kept “Earthquake” on repeat. I love the retro feel of many of the tracks through the distortion. Extremely depressed to find that this band seems to be on an indefinite hiatus.

Great album, enjoyed it from start to finish. He would have laughed is a contender for one of the greatest closing songs to an album. Easy 5 stars.

Maybe Deerhunter's best? Creative production, haunting melodies, and surprisingly full of hooks for such an oddball album.

I don’t like it more than blunderbuss (4.7) but I like it more than radio head (3.8) sooooo I’ll give it 4.5

This is just an album that hits all the right noted for me. Nothing more to add to that.

Pure indie bliss from a consistent output

Brilliant

Great album I even tattooed a single on my wrist

This is a great album. Calm music, perfect for working on the office to-do list or need something chill. I look forward to paying more attention to the lyrics. I would buy this album. 5 stars.

A sonoridade deste disco possui uma qualidade etérea e onírica. Parece que este álbum não existe, mas que você, e só você, consegue ouvi-lo. Uma grande viagem. Toda a instrumentalização é não-ortodoxa ao extremo, os vocais são recheados de reverberação, o que remete aos discos shoegaze do passado. De fato, a nostalgia reina por toda sonoridade das canções. Algumas partes do disco me lembram Flaming Lips se casando com Built To Spill, o que me agrada imensamente. Mas não achei o disco perfeito. Em alguns momentos ele me perdeu, talvez pela monotonia de algumas de suas canções. É um álbum decididamente baixo astral em suas composições e harmonias, o que é válido, mas pode causar desgaste com a exposição contínua. De todo modo, este álbum e esta banda tocam em uma parte bem específica do meu cérebro, chega a fazer cócegas. Fascinante o quão anormal e o quão familiar o som deles é simultaneamente. Uma banda verdadeiramente interessante e peculiar. Muito bom de escutar. Um som que parece despertar do próprio inconsciente. E apesar do que eu disse no parágrafo anterior de ter sentido um certo deslocamento em um momento ou outro, não foi o suficiente para diminuir a nota desse disco. 5/5

Is it their best? Probably but also depends on the day. Their whole catalog is excellent- get them all!

Someone to see you, beautiful dreamer.

love the sound

po pior que eu curto muito deerhunter, e esse particularmente eu acho bruto de bom. constou na playlist oficial de estrada em dias chuvosos de cabeça ruim é tbm o tipo de música que eu gosto pra carai, traz memórias que já foram muito amargas mas que hoje só são engraçadinhas

It's good, I generally like psychedelic rock" (whatever that means) and this album is most certainly that

Best effort from these guys. Soundscapes with a little more lyrics than their other efforts.

Wow. That was … something. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like this and thoroughly enjoyed it so much. This is existentialism, dread, and hope. This is the music you listen to when you come back to your senses after a terrible night and/or painful experiences when watching the sun rise while you’re on a rooftop and can understand that there is still hope for you and that there will be better days to come.

Theres not many albums more mystical then this. Been a favorite for a long time and will probably stay that way for a long time as well.

Idk man it's good

a very... mysterious and enthralling indie pop album. it's like tapping into the mind of a mentally declining rock and roll musician who peaked in the 50s or 60s. the main theme of this album is memory, thinking back on the past, the good, bad, and ugly... really just tapping and digging deep into one's mental archive. the main idea presented initially made me a little skeptical, but the more i listened, the more i ended up loving it. i love concept albums, and when i feel, when i hear that concept gracing my ears, i get immersed. the sound is bittersweet and melancholic, but it's not the kind that actively wants to make you depressed when you listen. it's the kind of album where you sit down and think... remember the days? the days grow fuzzier every year, and sometimes you wonder how much you remember actually happened... it's funny how the human brain works.

Solid album no skips

I mean it’s such perfect shoegaze dream pop stuff but with a little more indie rock in there to make it hit even harder

Such a trip, sounds like the beats are being played in reverse and doing backflips. The way the tracks build has such a euphoric climactic feeling. It's a beautiful, meandering project that dips between being thoughtfully slow and mindfully rocky. I didn't expect from the first track, for this to become an indie rock album.

This album will always be a 10/10 for me. It’s a beautiful indie masterpiece, with amazing lyrics which bring forth so much emotion. People saying the band sounds bored with what they’re singing have no idea what they’re talking about. I will always love this album and Deerhunter in general.

A floating, neo psychedelic, pop rock classic. These tunes are right up my street. Loose, catchy numbers with the right amount of experimentation to keep things interesting. Everything drenched in reverb and delay. Those 1 2 1 2 riffs on the guitar are a trademark of this record, best showcased throughout the epic conclusion of Desire Lines. Every listen brings out new textures and little production quirks that make this an album well worth replaying again and again. The bass drives onwards and onwards. The vocals, whether ethereal or slacker vibes, are on point. I just love this record. A lot. Favourite tracks - Earthquake, Desire Lines, Helicopter. 9/10

4.5/5

Overall a really nice album. Really pretty and really good.

Groovy stuff. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

Why can't I rate this album?

I mean this is perfect indie rock. The only complaint I have is that some of the songs should be longer cause the groove gets cut short a tad

Genre d'album qui m'a pris quelques écoutes avant d'apprécier pleinement. Je suis déjà allé voir Deerhunter en show avec mon père Marcello (China ne pouvait pas venir) et à ma grande surprise il m'a dit à la fin qu'il avait trouvé ça très bon!

Autre classique de mon jeune temps. Toujours aimé l’aspect un peu planant de la proposition. Desires Lines ma preférée avec son rythme répété et hypnotisant!

As much as I've listened to Deerhunter in the past, I never got around to this album. Probably my new favorite of theirs.

Love this album, love Deerhunter

i live!! dani loves

Hig

From Lightning Bolt to Deerhunter...the universe has a sense of humor, and good musical taste! Thanks universe!

This album is all atmosphere, specifically the atmosphere of realizing you are trapped in an indie horror movie. Stay out of the woods. Favorite tracks: "He Would Have Laughed," "Desire Lines"

Yessss så glad for at se den her plade på listen! Lyder lige så alien som den gjorde i 2010!

The outro of Desire Lines is way to short.