Tag: DGTL CTL Elephant

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

So if you had been frequenting this site earlier this year, you would have come across two posts featuring DGTL CTL, a rather mysterious electro pop production and artist duo, whose overall sound draws from several different styles and subgenres of pop and electro pop; however, beneath the accessible, pop orientated leanings is an underlying tendency towards the avant-garde and artsy.  And for their unique ability to do craft weird yet accessible pop, the duo have begun to receive attention across the blogosphere; in fact, their EP’s first single “Elephant” featured a chilly, ambient and minimalist production consisting of distorted and shuffling beats and gently swirling and undulating synths and achingly tender vocals with an infectious hook. And while simultaneously nodding at Quiet Storm-era R&B, industrial electronica and contemporary electro pop, the song’s narrator describes shyly yet completely falling for someone, that they’re left dumbstruck; he knows the depth and timbre of his feelings and yet can’t figure out a way to express it. The words he puts on paper, just doesn’t seem to quite add up to the longing and desire he feels so deeply, so urgently. He’s left with the proverbially clichéd elephant in the room.

Recently, I received an email from Ryan Claus, a San Francisco, CA-based designer, composer, producer and electronic music artist, who writes and performs under the moniker Little Glass Men, a side project of his. Describing his sound as a mix of contemporary electronic music production with live instrumentation, along the lines of Mt. Kimbie, Bonobo and Flying Lotus, Claus collaborated with DGTL CTL’s Devereaux Jennings to remix “Elephants,” and as Claus explained to me via email they did some higher register takes for the chorus — and while retaining Jennings’ tender and aching vocals, Claus pairs them with dreamily twinkling keys, shimmering synths, and stuttering drum programming. As a result, it gives the song a vulnerable, awkward, swooning vibe.

 

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

DGTL CTL is a mysterious electro pop production and artist duo, whose production and songs draw from several different and very diverse styles, while possessing a flair for the avant-garde to craft an imitable sound that interestingly enough also manages to be incredibly radio friendly. The duo’s debut EP is now slated for  release sometime this summer. Now, you may recall that I earlier this year, I wrote about the EP’s first single “Elephant,” a track that that simultaneously nodded at slow-burning Quiet Storm-era R&B, a chilly but efficient minimalism paired with breezy atmospherics and a stark industrial electronica as it featured a production consisting of distorted and shuffling beats, gently swirling and undulating synths and achingly tender vocals with an infectious hook. Lyrically, the song’s narrator talked abotu falling for someone so deeply that they can’t quite figure out a way to actually express themselves. Every time, he thinks about trying to put HIS thoughts and feelings down on paper, it just doesn’t ever add up to the what he feels and thinks in his head. And worse yet, whenever he’s in the presence of his object of desire, they ‘re forced to acknowledge the proverbial elephant in the room — their unexpressed longing and desire for that person — and yet so many things are hopelessly left unsaid. By far, it was arguably one of the most sensual yet desperate songs I’ve heard this year.

The duo’s latest single “3 Strikes” continues on somewhat similar vein as its predecessor —  in the sense that the song manages to draw from Quiet Storm R&B; however, it also nods at the indie dance pop of Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts as brief blasts of electric guitar are paired with stomping, boom-bap beats, wobbling yet propulsive synths paired with achingly tender falsetto vocals detailing a relationship that consists of a dysfunctional push and pull between both parties, in which they both use and abuse each other, fight and fuss, and endlessly repeat. And as a result, the song bristles with a barely contained bitterness over a confusing situation that they can’t quite get out of and can’t seem to comprehend; after all, in terms of most human relationships, we’re drawn to people and situations that we can’t quite understand or recognize — and in this song, the song reflects that with an uncanny psychological accuracy while also continuing to be radio friendly.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

DGTL CTL is a rather mysterious electro pop duo whose production draws from several different styles while possessing a flair for the avant-garde to craft a truly imitable sound that manages to be radio friendly. The duo’s debut EP is slated for a May 2017 and the EP’s first single “Elephant” features a sparse production that simultaneously nods at slow-burning, Quiet Storm R&B, a chilly but efficient minimalism, breezy atmospherics and a stark industrial electronica as it pairs distorted and shuffling beats, gently swirling and undulating synths and achingly tender vocals with an infectious hook. Lyrically, the song’s narrator talks about falling for someone so deeply that they can’t quite figure out a way to express themselves –they think about the idea of talking to their object of desire and they suddenly feel like a deaf mute, and when they try to put their thoughts and feelings down on paper, it just doesn’t add up to the feelings in their head. And whenever they’re around their object of desire, the only thing they notice is that there’s the proverbial elephant in the room — their longing and desire — and yet so many things are left hopelessly unsaid. And as a result the song possesses an aching desperation and longing, making it one of the most unlikeliest, sensual songs I’ve heard this year.