Settings

Tanlines | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: March 8, 2010
• Label: True Panther Sounds
• Copyright: 2009 True Panther Sounds
• Total Length: 24:18
• Genres:
• ASIN: B00397J3ZE
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,714 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great new album, March 15, 2010

By 

wahoo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Settings (MP3 Download)

Tanlines new album, Settings, is a really great compilation of electronic and danceable music that is dominated by heavy pop synthesizer melodies. However, the music on this album also reflects Latin and tropical persuasions as well, which is evidenced in some of the melodies and beats heard throughout the album. Tanlines' music is mainly synthesized by computers, but many of the tracks also feature an electric guitar, percussion (mainly bongos), and vocals. My favorite track off of the new album is "Real Life." I think this track is a really interesting piece that has a great blend between computer music, percussion and vocals.
I really like how "Real Life" starts with a singular, very dynamic bongo rhythm. Since the bongos are played solo at first, I was able to really focus on the rhythm and the sound of the drums. The upbeat nature of the introduction is very indicative of the high-energy maintained in the rest of the piece, which pumps up the listener and makes them excited to hear the rest of the song. Beginning around the 10 second mark, the bongos are accompanied by a steady, underlying computerized beat and the two different timbres interact well and complement each other nicely. There are other various layers of computer generated rhythm that occur throughout the piece, which weave in and out to create a really interesting texture as the piece progresses over time.
It is not until about 15 seconds in that the main melody of "Real Life" commences, which is a computer/synthesizer melody that repeats throughout the piece. "Real Life" is a polyphonic composition, as there are other layers of melody that weave in and out of the piece as well. These too are computer generated, but succumb to the dominant melody as they are played in the background at a lower volume. There is also the vocal melody, though this is not heard until the song is about 45 seconds underway. When the singing begins, this becomes the dominant melody. The point at which the singing begins is one of my favorite parts of the song, because the transition into this section is really dramatic. The synthesized melody drops out when the singing initially begins, and all that accompanies the vocals are the bongos and the various computerized rhythms. The timbre of the voice and the timbre of the percussion contrast nicely in a really interesting - neither overpowers the other - rather, they balance each other out - and in this way these two very different sounds being put together can be appreciated simultaneously.
I was fortunate to see Tanlines perform live a few months ago when the duo was the opening act at a concert I attended. The band gave a performance that was very different from many of the concerts I have been to in the past, in that they were not a stereotypical band with a singer, drummer, bassist and one or two guitarists. Tanlines used a MacBook The melodies and various rhythms were played directly off of a MacBook, and the guitar, bongos and vocals were incorporated live. "Real Life" was once of the pieces Tanlines performed in their set that night, and hearing it live made the interactions between the computer, traditional instruments and the musicians more tangible. Overall, Settings is really great and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.