Let’s pause for a moment and marvel at the unlikely success of Animal Collective. Out of all the bands to break out in the early 2000s, who would have imagined that they would be the ones to expand beyond a small, but dedicated, cult following into bonafide indie stars and critical darlings? But they did, so it made a certain kind of sense that the listening public was ready when Animal Collective co-founder Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear) released his third album, Person Pitch, in 2007. It was a showcase of how Lennox was able to wrangle his impulses in a relatively streamlined and pop-directed way, and for fans, a perfect scenario of having the experimentation of Animal Collective along with another take on Panda Bear as a solo artist. Now with the Collective taking a break since the release of 2012’s Centipede Hz, it’s the perfect moment for Panda Bear’s latest record, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (Domino Recordings).

Reportedly inspired by classic hip-hop, and for the title, ‘70s-era dub compilations, one would think the beats would be a focus. But that would be a massive misread. While it’s true that there are a number of breakbeat loops running underfoot, including a sample of The Soul Searchers’ “Ashley’s Roachclip” in “Crosswords,” Lennox never gives the songs completely over to the beat. Joined by Sonic Boom (of Spacemen 3 fame) on production, the album is no less layered and manipulated than anything else he has done. The main difference is that now you can tap your toes to more of the songs. But sonically the focus stays on Lennox’s voice and the various ways it’s treated.

Interestingly, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper plays entirely different on headphones than it does in open air. Sealed off from the world, you catch little nuances—like a whisper during a coda or a seemingly tossed off rhythm track—bubbling up. It also allows the listener to focus more directly on Lennox’s voice, which sometimes gets lost in the production. Similarly, the album reveals itself with repeated listens. On the first few plays, “Tropic of Cancer” seems like a meandering speed bump. But by the third or fourth time around, the almost unbearable melancholy becomes uncomfortably gorgeous. Elsewhere, songs that initially seem like they would benefit from a tighter edit actually show that everything is in the right place. Lyrically, however, the record is a tougher nut to crack. As the title suggests, Lennox is dealing with issues of death and mortality, but the treatment of his vocals allows only bits and pieces to float in, making it difficult to decipher if you don’t have a lyric sheet. And that seems to be the intention. While not exactly a “challenging” record, this one is nevertheless something of a slow burn. All said and done, though, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is a gem.