Photo courtesy of Keep Company

Known as the on-again-off-again guitarist for Animal Collective, Josh “Deakin” Dibbs recently regrouped with his avant-rock cohorts but not before giving a taste of what his solo mind’s been up to these days. Originally appearing on a cassette tape packaged with their Keep Company shoe designs (and benefiting the Socorro Island Conservation Fund) “Country Report” is swirling bout of atmospherics that revolves around a classical piano motif and Deakin’s airy vocals. Perfect for open roads and melodic moments.

Deakin’s reportedly prepping his first solo album, due out sometime in 2011 — but until then, he’s helping out the rest of the Collective in curating the latest ATP Festival, May 13 – 15 in Minehead, England.