Rating: NNNN
Sung Tongs begins in concentrated strangeness. The first track, Leaf House, sets the tone. Its pop-sensible sound is infectious but in that demented way that ignores pop’s listenability imperative. The odd vocal treatment verges on the feel of Tuvan throat singing. In spirit, Animal Collective are situated somewhere between the Beta Band and Sigur Rós, but that doesn’t come close to explaining what they’re doing. You could call Sung Tongs experimental folk, but that’s only the start of it.
