Wednesday, December 12, 2012

36. Tanlines - Mixed Emotions (True Panther Sounds)


It’s been extremely intriguing to watch the evolution of Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen’s Brooklyn based, indie dance project Tanlines since their first single “New Flowers” appeared from the music blogosphere ether in 2008. And while, almost immediately, there was discussion regarding the supposed dissonance in sound between Tanlines and Emm and Cohen’s former projects (math rock legends Don Caballero and jittery dance punk outfit Professor Murder, respectively) “New Flowers,” a swift, bongo and synth laden dance tune accented by wordless harmonies, was actually an example of how the duo combined the intricate, jazzy flourishes of Don Cab with the pulsing sheen of contemporary dance music to forge a more cerebral, less ephemeral version of the Tough Alliance.

Fast forward to the release of Tanline’s first proper EP, Settings in 2010, where the six track song list was split evenly between winding, island-infused, mostly instrumental numbers and infectious dance-pop tracks showcasing Emm’s unusually limber baritone. The EP’s stand out track “Real Life,” which perfectly integrated Emm’s vocals, a handful of earworm hooks, and leaner production that effectively compartmentalized the complicated percussion parts and rhythmic synth lines, proved that the duo’s pop instincts were sharper than previously realized.

via Prefix (read rest there) 
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