At one point early in the 21st century, Black Dice were the undisputed kings of the underground scene, while their sibling band Animal Collective acted like the scuffling, shambolic younger brothers who could never quite hold it together. Once their hardcore exoskeleton and the confrontational antics of frontman Eric Copeland molted, however, Black Dice learned how to both assault and massage (no swinging microphone to the face necessary). Miraculously, they were able to pack in the crowds, subjecting them to blissed out blasts of white noise, tribal drums, and mesmeric melodies, and ultimately signed with the hottest NY label of the time, DFA. Those death-defying crests and valleys of unadulterated pure adrenaline sound are all captured on Beaches and Canyons.