Comprised of
Animal Collective's
Panda Bear -- born Noah Lennox -- and Scott Mou (aka DJ Casio), Jane's nearly danceable concoctions on Berserker are entertaining to an extent. The title track opens the disc with a redundant, rhythmic approach that sacrifices melody -- save for Lennox's capable vocal line -- in favor of energy. At six minutes, the latter is the shortest track on an album that veers from the ambient,
Radiohead-like noise of "Slipping Away" to the 25-minute closing drone known as "Swan," which sails in ultra-slow, über-soft mode. With merely four tracks that collectively approach an hour in length, Berserker has the ability to captivate the listener or drive those privy completely bonkers. ~ John D. Luerssen