A rollercoaster ride that swings madly between Animal Collective forest-creature wail, Beck’s Mellow Gold-era dust-hop, and quick-looping Dan Deacon gadgetry, Flight of the Liophant is a stellar, absolutely manic leftfield surprise. Portlander (by way of Chicago, and ex-band Princess) Alexis Gideon made a small mark touring with Deacon, but this is a genuine explosion. Gideon has pegged his own music as “schizo” but, stripped of seams, that barely comes close: A handsome Frankenstein’s monster, this one slips with alarming ease between clattering, percussive, no-wave noise breaks; unironic twang; arty, Busdriver-paced rhymes; and deep, Calvin Johnson-styled country croons. At the very least, Gideon will find himself with a cult–whether they’re dancing or swaying.