hannah.p

For more than 15 years, indie darlings Animal Collective have been releasing springy and bright experimental pop, and their newest creation is no exception. The wildly colorful Painting With sounds like a Dadaist work looks — with bits and pieces “connected by sutures,” as the lyrics in single “FloriDaDa” go.

The band, composed of members Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear), David Portner (a.k.a. Avey Tare), and Brian Weitz (a.k.a Geologist), outfitted their studio with baby pools and plastered the walls with dinosaur sketches to help inspire the record’s primitive rhythms. But if it was up to Weitz, he would’ve been splashing around in a much bigger pool.

A longtime scuba diving enthusiast, Weitz and sometimes-bandmate Josh Dibb (a.k.a Deakin) enjoy nearly annual, week-long diving trips in the middle of the ocean. “There’s a lot of down time when you’re on the boat,” explains Weitz, “because you have to get rid of the nitrogen that you absorb when you’re underwater, and then you have to metabolize it.” That means divers tend to spend a lot of time just sitting around on the boat. “Listening to music is a really good pastime.”

That makes Weitz something of an expert on the best music to listen to while out to sea. So next time you find yourself on a boat, enjoy this nautical playlist curated by Weitz:

1. Crosby, Stills, & Nash, “Wooden Ships”

“This was almost a tie with ‘Laughing’ off of David Crosby’s first solo album. This one wins based on subject matter. How can you set off on a week long boat trip to sea and not start with this song?”

2. Neil Young, “Cortez the Killer”

“I played this on a boat when diving at Poor Knights in New Zealand and the pace worked well. It also reminds you to be respectful in a foreign place, and no matter where you are in the world, if you’re underwater, you’re a guest… so be polite.”

3. Tully, “Thank You”

“This is from the soundtrack to a '70s surf film called Sea of Joy. Basically thanks the sea for everything, so it’s another no-brainer.”

transatlanticism- death cab for cutiethis life - Edward sharpe & the magnetic zerosyou ain’t alone - alabama shakeshoney come home - the head and the heartno other way - paolo nutini

turn it around - luciuswaves - sleeper agentthe mother we share - chvrchesteam - lordehearts like ours - the naked & famous

sea of love - cat powerblack as night - nahko & medicine for the peoplekiss the grass - the paper kitesfor emma - bon iverastral weeks - van morrison