Born out of a mutual love of Pavement and horror soundtracks, NYC-based Animal Collective are a Flaming Lips that haven’t broken through into the mainstream. Or a Mercury Rev who haven’t sold out. Here’s hoping they never do, and on the evidence of this latest EP they won’t, as their experimental forays into the boundaries of ambient psychedelia and beyond demonstrate that (musical) ambition and (commercial) avarice need not necessarily go hand in hand.

(4¼/5)