Two Tigers: Dunes

Following a liberal amount of twitter prowling, The Sonic Music Review is pleased to feature 'Dune' by Two Tigers having stumbled across their profile and link to their Soundcloud page here. Two Tigers are a musical act from Chile producing quite a commercial, polished selection of tracks, clearly influenced from 80's acts such as Depeche Mode but stylistically are far more akin to a combination of MGMT and Daft Punk.

Two Tigers - Dunes by twotigersmusic

The track featured here, 'Dunes,' illustrates the act's notable proficiency with synthetic instrumentation within a pseudo-'pop' setting. The piece begins with a simple, clean and crisp guitar riff with subtle use of stutter editing to add additional interest, used in moderation so as not to be intrusive. Layered vocals quickly enter but one of the best moments in this track is the first exposition of synthetic instrumentation which comes soon after.

The orchestration seen throughout, with particular regard to the synthetic timbres, is very accomplished for an independent act, each musical element has its place within the track and within the mix and has been very well crafted. There is a great temptation by many artists to create a single, homogenous wash of sound but the production and great care in orchestrating this track has paid great dividends in making such a varied arrangement which draws the listener in.

As the arrangement continues, the listener is treated to an instrumental section in place of a second verse which further exemplifies Two Tigers' talent in their craft, the keyboardist clearly in their element at this point. This continues before a segue into a repeat of the first verse and chorus, whereupon the piece reaches its conclusion at just over three minutes. The adaptation of the typical three-minute pop song is again a credit to Two Tigers, proving to be highly effective, although a more convincing ending could be achieved. Nonetheless, this is one of the best songs that The Sonic Music Review has had the pleasure of discovering and has been a pleasure to feature for our readers.

For more information on Two Tigers, you can visit their official website here. As ever, if any of our readers represent an independent artist and would like to submit music, please get in touch or find us on Twitter @SubsonicWinter.

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Pete Burns: Never Marry An Icon

Pete burns rose to fame in the 80's as frontman of the band 'Dead Or Alive,' a proponent of the New Wave movement who found great success in their 1984 single 'You Spin Me Around (Like A Record).' Since departing the band, Pete Burns has promised upcoming solo material, the first offering being his debut solo single 'Never Marry An Icon.'

Pete Burns: Never Marry An Icon

For anyone aware of the Pete's unique fashion sense and general opposition to conformity, noticeable even from the album artwork shown above, the musical style will be of no surprise. Throughout, vocals are processed to sound purposefully electronic, accompanied by electronic drums and synthesisers. Lyrics such as "I like to change my face on a regular basis" and the less modest "Who d'ya think you are taking on a superstar?" are typical of the artist's writing, which frequently includes autobiographical mentions and themes of self-professed celebrity.

The song is well crafted with a typical verse-chorus structure but embellishments such as an extended synthesiser solo and other additions not always seen in contemporary music add interest for the listener. The production is sound, remaining clear despite the extensive layering of tracks. With that said, there is a quiet hum present throughout, most audible at the start and conclusion which could be argued to be serving no musical purpose which raises doubt on if this is intentional or a mixing error.

Marking the first original material in several years, this catchy track is a welcome return to the industry for Pete Burns. While confusion remains over whether subsequent releases will take place following the anger expressed by the artist's label due to the unauthorised uploading of the track to various online free-play sites (Youtube et al.), this reviewer certainly hopes that more material is on its way soon.

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