Dntel

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Dntel
Dntel.jpg
Background information
Birth nameJames Scott Tamborello
Also known asJames Figurine
Jimmy Tamborello
Born1975 (age 4849) [1]
Genres Glitch, downtempo, indietronica, IDM, folktronica
Years active1989–present
Labels Plug Research, Sub Pop

James Scott Tamborello, (born 1975) also known by his stage name Dntel /ˈdɪntɛl/ , is an American electronic music artist and DJ. Aside from his main solo project, Tamborello is also known as a member of the groups The Postal Service, Headset, Strictly Ballroom, and Figurine, where he is sometimes cited as James Figurine.

Contents

Personal life

Tamborello's father was a jazz saxophone player, flautist, and a songwriter for many Santa Barbara, California-based bands. His mother, Joyce Menges was an actress who starred in the sitcom To Rome with Love starring John Forsythe, Kay Medford, and Melanie Fullerton, in 1969, and later in the Walt Disney Productions film Now You See Him Now You Don't , starring Kurt Russell, in 1972.

Musical career and Dntel

Tamborello first began creating music in 1989, when he was in junior high school in Santa Barbara. His father bought him a drum machine, a sequencer, a keyboard and an eight track recorder, primarily for the possibility to create music on his own. Tamborello recorded an album under the name Antihouse in 1993, which was released the following year, then beginning work on the first Dntel EP. During these years, Tamborello attended Loyola Marymount University where he was a DJ and music director at KXLU. [2] He engineered on several albums recorded at the station including "KXLU LIVE: Volume 1," for which he also designed the album artwork. Tamborello was also the bass player for a band known as Strictly Ballroom. The band was often described as "Enocore," as Brian Eno soundscapes were an important influence in their music. [3] Strictly Ballroom recorded one album, Hide Here Forever, which was released in 1997 on the Waxploitation Records label. They released a single in 1995 titled "Dear XXX" on the Chou Chou records label.

A collection of the demos during the period of 1995 to 1997 was released as Early Works for Me If It Works for You , in 1998, and work from the first Dntel EP was released as Something Always Goes Wrong , in 2000, both on the Phthalo label. As a pioneer of contemporary glitch and electronica, Dntel gained a cult following. After writing a track for the Voices in My Lunchbox collaboration for the Plug Research label, he was asked to work with them. Tamborello released a 12-inch LP, Anywhere Anyone, in 2000.

Tamborello released the debut Dntel full-length album, Life Is Full of Possibilities , in 2001. The album featured several guest artists on vocals and instruments, including Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, Mia Doi Todd, fellow Figurine member Meredith Figurine, Chris Gunst of Beachwood Sparks, Brian McMahan of Slint, The For Carnation, and Rachel Haden of that dog. The track "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" from the album was very well-received, which led to the song being released in 2002 as the only single from Life Is Full of Possibilities. A remix of the song by Superpitcher was voted the 17th best dance track of the decade by a Resident Advisor poll in 2010. [4]

On April 24, 2007, Tamborello released his third album Dumb Luck on Subpop Records to generally positive critical reception. This, coinciding with Death Cab For Cutie's release, Narrow Stairs moved any future plans of The Postal Service recording past the end of the decade. Tamborello released a surprise new album called Hate In My Heart on August 2, 2018, through Leaving Records. [5]

Figurine

Since 1994, Tamborello has also been a member of the electropop band Figurine. Consisting of Tamborello (as James Figurine), Meredith Figurine, and David Figurine, the trio were high school friends and created music based mostly on the theme of long-distance love, releasing their debut album, Transportation + Communication = Love , in 1999. The group released their second album, The Heartfelt , in 2001, and a remix album, Reconfigurine , in 2002.

Tamborello released a solo album under the name James Figurine, Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake , in 2006, featuring a downtempo electronica style.

The Postal Service

The success of the collaboration between Tamborello and Ben Gibbard on the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" from Life Is Full of Possibilities , which features lyrics and vocals from Gibbard, led the two to form their own side-project The Postal Service in 2001. The duo released their debut album, Give Up , in 2003 on Sub Pop Records, receiving very positive reviews from critics and eventual platinum certification from the Recording Industry of America. The album spawned the successful singles "Such Great Heights", "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight", and "We Will Become Silhouettes". Along with additional member Jenny Lewis, who performed vocals on the album, the group toured in support of Give Up despite their main projects also being active at the time.

The Postal Service became largely inactive after 2005, until 2013 when the group reunited for a tour to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Give Up. However, on August 3, 2013, Ben Gibbard announced via Twitter that The Postal Service would permanently disband after the tour.

On December 9, 2009, Rolling Stone named the song "Such Great Heights" the 27th best song of the decade.

In December 2022, the group announced a 2023 tour co-headlining with Death Cab for Cutie to celebrate the twentieth anniversaries of Give Up and Transatlanticism . [6]

Other projects

Tamborello is also the host of a regular music show called Dying Songs heard on the internet radio station Dublab. In 2004, Tamborello was credited for programming on the song "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)" by Bright Eyes, which reached number two on the Billboard US Singles Chart.

As Headset he collaborated with Plug Research record label owner Allen Avanessian and a number of guest rappers on the 2004 album Space Settings.

Equipment

Tamborello uses a large variety of electronic equipment to create his sound. He uses Logic Pro for programming, [7] a Rode k2 microphone for vocals, and Dynaudio Air series speakers. His studio has a glockenspiel, Avalon Design VT-747sp compressor, MicroKorg, Elektron Machinedrum, Vostok Matrixsynth, Elektron Monomachine, Vermona Retroverb, Empirical Labs EL8X Distressor Compressor, MOTU MIDI Timepiece, Vermona DRM1 MKII (drum machine), Dave Smith Poly Evolver Rack, Minimoog Voyager, two Motu 828 MKII, Mackie 1604 mixer, Kurzweil K2000 synthesizer, [8] Jomox Xbase 999, Moogerfooger MF-104Z Analog Delay, DigiTech IPS33 Smartshift Intelligent Pitch Shifter, Nord Modular G1, an Omnichord, accordions, jingle bells, Line 6 Delay, and an M-Audio Radium MIDI controller. [9]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

EPs

Singles

Other appearances

Notes

^ 1. First edition released on 250 CD-Rs, later re-issued by Phthalo Records
^ 2. Contains material recorded between 1994 and 2000
^ 3. Reissue of Early Works for Me If It Works for You, Something Always Goes Wrong plus additional material recorded between 1999 and 2003

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Postal Service</span> American indie pop band

The Postal Service was an American indie pop group from Seattle, Washington, consisting of singer Ben Gibbard, producer Jimmy Tamborello, and Jenny Lewis on background vocals.

<i>Give Up</i> 2003 studio album by the Postal Service

Give Up is the sole studio album by American electronic duo the Postal Service, released on February 18, 2003, by Sub Pop Records. The Postal Service was a collaboration between singer-songwriter Ben Gibbard, best-known for his work with indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, and musician Jimmy Tamborello, who also records under the name Dntel. Gibbard rose to prominence in the early 2000s as frontman of Death Cab, while Tamborello gained a cult following as a pioneer of contemporary glitch music and electronica. The two first collaborated with the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan", for Dntel's debut LP, Life Is Full of Possibilities (2001).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death Cab for Cutie</span> American rock band

Death Cab for Cutie is an American rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997. Death Cab for Cutie's music has been classified as indie rock, indie pop, and alternative rock. The band is currently composed of Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper, Zac Rae, and Jason McGerr (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Gibbard</span> American musician (born 1976)

Benjamin Gibbard is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, with whom he has recorded ten studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup The Postal Service. Gibbard released his debut solo album, Former Lives, in 2012, and a collaborative studio album, One Fast Move or I'm Gone (2009) with Jay Farrar.

<i>Transatlanticism</i> 2003 studio album by Death Cab for Cutie

Transatlanticism is the fourth studio album by rock band Death Cab for Cutie, released on October 7, 2003, by Barsuk Records. At this point in their career, the group had toured and recorded for nearly a half-decade. With tensions rising, the band decided to take time away from one another; notably, Ben Gibbard collaborated with electronic musician Dntel, and released an album, Give Up, under the name the Postal Service. Death Cab regrouped in late 2002 to create Transatlanticism, which was recorded in a leisurely manner over five-day stretches until June 2003.

<i>We Have the Facts and Were Voting Yes</i> 2000 studio album by Death Cab for Cutie

We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes is the second studio album by American rock band Death Cab for Cutie. It was released on March 21, 2000, through Barsuk Records. The band, which originally included singer-songwriter Ben Gibbard, guitarist/producer Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer, and drummer Nathan Good, formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. Their debut studio album, Something About Airplanes, was released in 1998 through Barsuk, after which Good exited the band. Between the two albums, both Gibbard and Walla released music via side projects, ¡All-Time Quarterback! and Martin Youth Auxiliary, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">¡All-Time Quarterback!</span> Solo side-project of Ben Gibbard

All-Time Quarterback was a solo side-project of Ben Gibbard, best known as the singer/guitarist for Death Cab for Cutie and as one third of the Postal Service.

<i>Life Is Full of Possibilities</i> 2001 studio album by Dntel

Life Is Full of Possibilities is the third studio album by American electronic music producer Dntel. It was released on October 30, 2001 by Plug Research.

<i>Plans</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Death Cab for Cutie

Plans is the fifth studio album by American rock band Death Cab for Cutie, released August 30, 2005 on Atlantic Records. Emerging from the Pacific Northwest in the early 2000s, Death Cab first rose to prominence on the strength of its confessional lyricism and textured indie rock sound. Following a longstanding partnership with indie label Barsuk, the band made the leap to a major label, Atlantic, for Plans. The LP was the band's first time recording outside of their Seattle home; it was produced at Long View Farm, a rural Massachusetts property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Such Great Heights</span> 2003 single by The Postal Service

"Such Great Heights" is a song by American indie pop band The Postal Service. It was released as the lead single from their debut studio album, Give Up, in 2003 through Sub Pop Records. The single includes a previously unreleased track, "There's Never Enough Time", and two cover tracks by The Shins and Iron & Wine of "We Will Become Silhouettes" and "Such Great Heights", respectively. It reached its peak at 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The District Sleeps Alone Tonight</span> 2003 single by The Postal Service

"The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" is a song by the electronic music band The Postal Service, the second single from their debut album, Give Up, released July 8, 2003 on Sub Pop Records. The single included a cover of "Suddenly Everything Has Changed" by The Flaming Lips, and two remixed tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beachwood Sparks</span> American alternative country band

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Figurine (band)</span> American electronica band

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soul Meets Body</span> 2005 single by Death Cab for Cutie

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<i>Dumb Luck</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Dntel

Dumb Luck is the fourth studio album by American electronic music artist Dntel. It was released through Sub Pop on April 24, 2007. Recorded between 2002 and 2006, it includes vocal contributions from Ed Droste, Valerie Trebeljahr and Markus Acher, Jenny Lewis, Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott, Mia Doi Todd, Andrew Broder (Fog), Conor Oberst, and Christopher and Jennifer Gunst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublab</span> Non-profit internet radio station

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strictly Ballroom (band)</span>

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References

  1. "Their voice mail system". Los Angeles Times . January 30, 2005.
  2. "UCLA and USC's Music Scenes Have Nothing on Loyola Marymount". LAweekly.com. February 11, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  3. Prato, Greg (July 13, 2001). "Strictly Ballroom". AllMusic. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  4. "RA Poll: Top 100 tracks of the '00s". Residentadvisor.net. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  5. Thiessen, Brock. "Dntel Releases New Album 'Hate in My Heart'". Exclaim! Media. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  6. Bloom, Madison (December 8, 2022). "The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie Announce 2023 Tour". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  7. "studio – DYING SONGS". Dyingsongs.tumblr.com. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  8. "Dntel (aka Jimmy Tamborello of The Postal Service) to release 3-disc set | Altsounds.com News". Hangout.altsounds.com. April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  9. "Dying Songs". Jimmytamborello.com. February 9, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.

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