Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Re-Discovery of Dntel

Yesterday one of my subscriptions on youtube, Subpop Records, dropped an new video. The video was Dntel's single "Rock the Boat". After watching I immediately downloaded the album from Subpop.

I have to be perfectly honest here. I was a little disappointed with the newest Dntel album. It has been over six years since his last full length album, “Life is full of possabilities.” The article I was reading on Subpop Records said he had been working on this album for years. Years! I was sad to find that the new release, “Dumb Luck” was missing a pulse.

James Tamborello has been busy for the last decade. He made a huge impact on the electronic pop movement with his now famous side project, The Postal Service. The postal service is what introduced me to this busy producer. He also plays in a band named Figure with two old high school buddies . Other projects include Strickly Ballroom and Headset.

What got me excited about the new Dntel album was his 2006 release, “Mistake, Mistake, Mistake”, as the alias James Figurine. What I really enjoyed in that album is also what I really liked in the last Dnte Album. My favorites were the upbeat electronic songs like (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan.



The James Figurine album was littered with similar song styles. For example:



This is the newest video off the 2007 “Dumb Luck” release. It is a beautiful song. It is wonderfully produced with an incredible vocal.



It was not what I was expecting. It is hard to hate on “Dumb Luck.” It is what it is: a meloncoly and glitchy album with many great guest vocalists. It isn’t going to make my head nod or make me feel like dancing. It is to be put away for a quite night or a rainy afternoon. There is always a spot for James Tamborello in my music collection for what ever the mood. That is what has kept him relevant and an important figure in electronic music for the last decade.

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