Giving

Given Collections of Colonies of Bees' further boost of attention via the Volcano Choir collaboration project with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, it makes sense that their 2011 release serves almost as an EP sampler as much as a full release; the four songs' instrumental surge is all about big arrangements and epic punch, but with a friendlier feeling than the Godspeed/Mogwai wing. The tracks share a relative brightness and openness that's appealing, not to mention a sense of changing things as they go instead of focusing monolithically — "Vorm," perhaps the strongest number on balance, embraces this feeling of an exultant jam session the most. Hearing the guitars slip and change before refocusing on something new gives the music a lively, tactile feeling, accentuated by a quick, sudden ending. "Lawns" provides an easygoing contrast in turn, keeping the general propulsion of the album going but feeling like an easy swing into a West Coast sunset instead of launching a rocket to the moon.