By Emma Cohen of Indie Band Guru
Hailing from Brooklyn, Tiger + Man’s sound is eerily sexy. There is something in the music which creates a sense of longing in the listener.
The duo is composed of Tiger Darrow and Andrew Orkin. Each of the members are well-developed artists both in musical creativity and instrumental proficiency. The two first came together in 2012 but their first EP as an official duo under the Tiger + Man moniker is only being released into the world now.
The self-titled collection of music contains five original songs, and while each is different, they all have the same atmospheric and thematic similarities.
Tiger + Man Debut in Stunning Fashion
Said atmosphere is clearly felt in “Wondering.” This song made me feel as if I was floating in a lake with no sense of direction. It is beautifully indifferent to any common emotion, which was achievable due to the constant lackadaisical soprano vocals and subtle-but-there instrumentals.
It is also worth noting that there are small hints of electronica present throughout the entire piece. These snips of a different sound make the overall experience so much more complex, a complexity heightened by the tapping of drums which follows each chorus.
This song is perfect for reaching new levels of tranquility or meditation as it manages to keep a steady pace from start to finish.
This consistently steady pace is unique to “Wondering” in this collection. The second track, “I’ve Got Nothing” starts happy and fades into a more dramatic melody. The change of pace was slow yet dramatic, surging from a slow keyboard sound to heavy electronics and deep, booming drumming that is rich and sensual.
Listening to this song made me feel conflicted as the lyrics (“I’ve got nothing”) and the beat, which has so much, contradicted one another. Maybe the point was to realize you never truly have “nothing.” Either way, I was left with admiration for the pair as it is hard to accomplish such a jump in emotions successfully without coming on to strong.
Tiger + Man’s debut EP is sublime. It was a fascinating thing to listen to that left me deeply satisfied. If anything, they are probably one of my new favorite groups. Listening to them is an experience I think everyone should have.
