Soft Alarm – Dntel (Free Download / Buy)
Dntel, the electronica/pop brainchild of Jimmy Tamborello (The Postal Service and Figurine) is a refreshingly unique side project on the Sub Pop label. Electro side projects often seem forced, but Dntel’s legitimacy proves unsurprising considering Tamborello’s rap sheet. The folk riffs and melodies combined with sweet synth beats and the occasional rap blend remarkably well considering how awful that recipe sounds.
Dntel’s myspace is stacked. The tracks available for free streaming are diverse. “Until The Sun Dies” plays tricks on your brain, hypnotizing you with an ethereal backing vocals and celestial synth riffs, only to be made aggressive by smooth flowing rap that spits above the music. “Dumb Luck” seems a bit more natural for Tamborello. Acoustic guitar and a soft melody drive the song. The echoing synth line is cool and understated, impressing but not smothering. Overall, the song is simply beautiful. Other tracks, such as “To a Fault” and “Roll On” prove that Dntel is no fluke. This stuff is unique and pretty damn cool.
Two EP’s, “After Parties 1″ and “After Parties 2″ are available directly from Sup Pop record store, as well as Amazon and iTunes.
