Album a Day (Single Edition): Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan

There have been countless numbers of bands that only release one record, but only a few have really reached the cult-like status of The Postal Service who gained a bevy of praise and adoration for their 2003 album Give Up. To date that album, three singles, and a few random covers and remixes has been the only material released by the collaboration of Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard under the banner of The Postal Service. However, that is not all the material made as the two first collaborated 2001 on Tamborello's indietronica project Dntel with Gibbard providing vocals for the song "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" that would first appear as part of the album Life Is Full of Possibilities and later as its own six-track single (which conveniently we are discussing here today).

"(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" is perhaps actually my favorite collaboration between the two, which isn't to take anything away from the later Postal Service work but rather just an indication of just how good this song is. Aesthetically the song has this interesting mixture of complex, almost avant-garde, programming mixed with a strong pop sensibility. Though the strong hooks of Gibbard comes as no surprise given his long-time involvement as the vocalist for Death Cab For Cutie, Tamborello is no stranger to popular music with his work in another electro band by the name of Figurine and his years served as a DJ and Music Director over at KXLU. What is surprising is how early the styles of Tamborello and Gibbard gelled together to form a beautiful song which Tamborello has said was inspired by a dream Gibbard had about Evan Dando of The Lemonheads and Chan Marshall a.k.a. Cat Power.

Jimmy Tamborello's song construction shows a great understanding of musical arrangement that builds slowly, sustains something captivating, builds to a crescendo, and fades away leaving the listener in a state of a zen-like emotional tranquility that is only amplified by Ben Gibbard's deeply understated emotional vocals that are beautiful without overpowering any other element of the song and carrying the viscerally intriguing lyrics that shape every notion of a dream-like state.

Fortunately the title track isn't the only gem on this single with four diverse remixes and a b-side. Each remix has its own distinct style with only of the tracks solely containing the original vocal track. Its so interesting to hear the guest vocals provided by Kings of Convenience vocalist Erlend Øye on the "Spilled My Drink Mix" by Matthew Patterson Curry's Safety Scissors. It's rare to find an artist that allows a song to be taken as far out of the original context as to both have a remixer and new guest vocals but the end result is really pleasant and reminiscent of Norwegian electro-act Röyksopp. There is a very casual/lounge nature to this version that allows the listener to sit back and drift off the sleep that results in the original version of the song. Øye's rendition of Gibbard's lyrics paint a slightly different picture that sounds closer to a narrator of a scene rather than participant, which is a really curious contrast to the original vocals. Perhaps this creates a scenario in which Gibbard is singing from the perspective of Evan and Øye is something more of a watcher or spectator.

That remix and the following one by Barbara Morgenstern are easily my favorite two on the disc perhaps if nothing else because of the additional guest vocals on each. In the case of the latter remix Gibbard's vocals are still present, though appearing the form of a duet with Morgenstern herself, who starts off the song with her vocals that match Gibbard's vocals in beauty and sincerity. I'm always a fan of hearing female covers of originally male vocals and vice versa but to take both voices to create a duet puts this version of the song in to a whole new spectrum for me. In this sense you feel like Gibbard and Morgenstern assume the roles of Evan and Chan. The remixed music here is much more minimal, really highlighting the strong vocal work of both musicians while retaining Tamborello's original musical intentions.

The last two remixes by Superpitcher and Lali Puna are both interesting in their own right with Superpitcher retaining Gibbard's original vocals and essentially making an extended club mix while Lali Puna is the only version to remove the vocals completely and focus on re-imagining Tamborello's music. Both of these songs are good but have a difficult time following the first three tracks which are each just amazing different versions of the title track. But while not as strong both remixes do have their place on the CD with Superpitcher's version providing a track that is more club accessible and Lali Puna having the only remix on the CD that retains a sound so close to the original track while still making a distinct remix that is very well executed.

I'm glad that Dntel decided to end the single with a b-side that continues to showcase Tamborello's talents with the b-side "Your Hill". I love that the song starts off with a fantastic accordian that is just absolutely endearing. Again, Tamborello's song construction shows great intelligence capturing the listener early and then building layers to a point where the listener has gone on an entire journey by the time the song is over. Tamborello also shows off his own vocal work (though it takes about half the song to appear) in a way that is refreshing and reminds me of the same impact when Tom Jenkinson (a.k.a. Squarepusher) decides to pull out his own vocal talents. "Your Hill" is a great finisher as the single initially drew on the popularity of Ben Gibbard's Death Cab For Cutie acclaim but hopefully entices the listener to further explore Dntel even if The Postal Service never returns.

Favorite Tracks: (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan, (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan (Safety Scissors Spilled My Drink Mix featuring Erlend Øye), (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan (Barbara Morgenstern Remix), and Your Hill