TigerFace
Brooklyn, New York
(The Royal Potato Family)
“Jazz drenched, circuit bent, yes-wave”
TigerFace is a leap forward for left-field composer Marco Benevento. Benevento’s most recent drop opens with an anthemic promise to the wave of “yes” that is shooting through the dance-pop underworld of New York City.
Wildly riveting opener “Limbs of a Pine” reminds us of the pianist’s inclination toward quirky melodic excursions and dynamic rhythms. It is one of two songs that features vocals (a rarity for Benevento). Rubblebucket’s Kalmia Traver’s monotone, slightly distilled voice beats against a slew of synthesized jabs, mutilated samples of horns and guitars, and the enigmatic sounds of Benevento’s excitably quirky brain. It’s the kind of song that gets you bobbing along without your permission, nuzzling its way into your head and then surprising you with something new.
The rest of the record walks a fine line between compact dance-pop and jammy electro-jazz-rock. In “Eagle Rock,” Benevento beautifully melts sweeping symphonies into wandering-hand piano melodies.
Overall, TigerFace is a revolving door of fun energy, joy, and laughter. While it doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head as a start-to-finish record, it is a welcome first wave of “yes” for Benevento as he continues to define himself as a musician.
Recorded at East West Studios, Los Angeles, by Tom Biller
Mixed by Bryce Goggin, Chris Bittner and Tom Biller
Mastered by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering