There’s always a sense of trepidation going hand in hand with listening to the solo work of someone with a successful track record elsewhere. Such side projects often smack of over-experimentalism and a drudgery of dull self-indulgence. The experience can become even worse when accompanied by guests – other musicians desperately seeking a break from what the rest of civilisation would deem notable output.
In the case of this third release under the cryptic Dntel moniker, Jimmy Tamborello – probably better known as one half of The Postal Service – indulgent and experimental are perfectly applicable terms. But well-measured and compelling are equally apt. He seems keen to keep himself in check – the opening track’s glorious ripple of noise and perfectly-constructed guitar lines cut through with the line “don’t forget that it’s dumb luck that got you here” – setting an endearingly pragmatic and self-conscious tone for the piece. This is maintained throughout by his rather despondent vocal character, well complimented by more subtly emotive contributions from the likes of Conor Oberst and Jenny Lewis. The distinctly fazed, sketchily distorted and almost transcendental electronic and acoustic instrumentation – a staple of his other work, but truly unleashed here – creates a platform to fully amplify and expand the emotive core of each song in a way that is at no point intense but consistently interesting. The resulting sound is beautiful, if not immediately inviting.
It’s a record best enjoyed when you immerse yourself in it. So long as you’re a willing spectator to someone else’s experiment.
