Deerhunter have been, for ages, one of the most polarizingly unique bands in the Atlanta scene. Known roundabout these parts for their terrifying, sonically destructive live sound and disconcerting stage presence, when their Kranky debut Cryptograms was released early this year the wave of praise from everyone, everywhere, ever, was deafening. It was also extremely, extremely shocking to me-the praise, and then the album itself. Honestly, given that the last time Hacks and I had seen Deerhunter, frontman Bradford had ended a stalk-across-the-stage-and-scream-into-the-hyper-delayed-mic session by banging the hell out of said live mic against the drum riser.

Now, I’m obviously the one roundabout these parts who is in love with punishing noise, but this…this was ear-cracking. In fact, I’m pretty damn sure my hearing never recovered. It was after that show that I set into motion my decision to give the hell up on Deerhunter, “local-noise-rock-makes-good” be damned.

And then Cryptograms was released, to maddening hype. I’d heard one song on their myspace, and continuously, vocally questioned why they didn’t make an album with that sound-epic, pretty, droning, hypnotic. One day, at random, after some glowing review somewhere said something and randomly threw out “modern-day Eno producing a White Stripes record”, I gave Cryptograms a spin. It was more to honor the creative music journo than out of any hope for the music.

I instantly ate my words. The “Eno producing White Stripes” is pretty much spot on. At times Bradford’s vocals, which can be grating or endearing but always spot-on in their everpresentness, and in their oft-times use as more of an instrument than as a means to purvey lyrical content, emulate Perry Farrell’s dubbed-out Porno For Pyros sound. The music loops, blankets and divides inside and amongst itself like a living organism, with snaking guitars and some of the most captivating atmospheric percussion heard from a live act.

Cryptograms is split into two halves-the first being more ambient and atmospheric, the latter approaching the sound of a band, in a garage, discovering (as a unit) Remain in Light, Lodger and Taking Tiger Mountain simultaneously.

Deerhunter: Cryptograms (download removed at label’s request)

After the album’s humming intro, this, the title track, unfurls, and it’s one of the few I remember witnessing the birth of in live settings. Both the opening, from whence the vocal “my greatest…fear” stabs out of the dark, and the end, on which “there was no sound” becomes a mantra, will get lodged inside your head for days.

Deerhunter: Octet(download removed at label’s request)

This is my favorite Cryptograms song, and illustrates perfectly exactly how lush and itchy can merge in Deerhunter’s sonic palate to create something that’s impossible to turn off, to run from, to not crave. I’ve not yet listened to this in headphones, but it’s begging for it.

During the Cryptograms sessions, a few other songs were recorded and recently released as an EP, Fluorescent Grey. These songs fit at the end of the 12 Crypto-songs (god I hate the way that sounds in my head but I have to use it just once) and turn Deerhunter in the other direction-literally, the four songs turn Deerhunter inside-out, and the inverse of the fierce, confrontational band is presented. In its place, we’re given brushed drums, undisturbed singing, and plaintive dreampop.

Deerhunter: Fluorescent Grey(download removed at label’s request)

Fluorescent Grey’s opener and title track, this has been pulling me out of lost moments for the past month or so. I can’t pinpoint what it sounds like, other than to say I’m sure I’ve heard it in a dream. It’s easy, with this, to imagine a black oxford-clad Deerhunter, candle-lit, onstage for an MTV unplugged-though I can’t imagine Bradford Cox without his precious DigiDelay.

All in all, the experience of combining Cryptograms with its’ Fluorescent counterpart/counterpoint causes the two albums to coalesce in a way that adds up to one of the most unique listening experience of 2007. This, as a whole, is a full-on album-the kind that starts when it begins, and only ends in terms of no longer playing aloud. The stuff here resonates inside your head permanently after one listen.

I have no idea what they sound like now, though their recent destruction of New York eardrums was widely chronicled by every this-that-and-there blog short of Gawker-so they’re apparently still huntin’ after all these deers, if you will. On album, though, right here, right now, there’s less hunting and more haunting-as in, for better or worse, this is music that will find you in your dreams.

Deerhunter’s official site

Deerhunter on Kranky records (you can buy there, too)

Deerhunter myspace