7/10

Throughout the last two decades, producer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Portner aka Avey Tare has been working on his solo material alongside contributions to his formative group Animal Collective. And while Animal Collective remain the bigger name within his field, his solo offerings have always pursued a freer and more expansive ideal from the very beginning. And after the enormous response to his highly-praised 2019 LP 'Cows on Hourglass Pond', he now returns to deliver his fourth full-length '7s', a record that looks to continue that innovative appeal.

While Avey Tare's own direction can easily be connected to that of Animal Collective over the years, there remains something far more humbled about his own work in recent times. Throughout '7s', we get to see a more inventive and explorative artist at the helm as he looks to create a beautifully warm and woozy sound that heightens his psychedelic ambitions. While it was written and recorded during lockdown, it still has this incredibly bright and warming aesthetic to it, something that would have been difficult to hone during such a claustrophobic time.

But just like much of his outings these last few years, '7s' always strives to find brighter and more heartwarming aesthetics throughout. Continuing his ventures down a sweet and alluring path, littered with shimmering tones and a sweeping atmosphere, it makes for a wonderfully rich and compassionate listen.