He started working as Dntel, pronounced Din-tell, in 1994. A collection of tracks created between 1995-1997 (Early Works For Me If It Works For You) was released on the Phthalo label in 1999, followed by the release of an EP recorded in 1994 (Something Always Goes Wrong) in 2000. After contributing a song to Plug Research's Voices In My Lunchbox compilation he was invited to do a full length for the label, preceded by a 12" EP (Anywhere Anyone).
Dntel released his full-length album Life Is Full Of Possibilities in 2001. The LP featured vocal contributions by many artists, including Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard on the breakout track (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan, which led to a single in 2002 and later, the formation of the band The Postal Service with Gibbard. With vocals buried in static, cut-up acoustic guitars and sampled symphonies struggling to find somewhere to settle, Life Is Full Of Possibilities reserved Dntel's spot as a pioneer of contemporary glitch, electro-pop, and indietronica.
Tamborello is currently working with The Postal Service and continuing his solo work, including remixes for various artists. As Dntel, he is releasing a compilation, Early Works For Me If It Works For You II, which will feature unfinished instrumental tracks from when he was working on Life Is Full Of Possibilities in 1998-2001, to be released on Phthalo. He released his newest full-length LP, titled "Dumb Luck" on April 24, 2007. "Dumb Luck" is his first LP on Sub Pop records.
Evan and Chan (Safety Scissors
Dntel Lyrics
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The tile floors glistened; I slowly stirred my drink.
And when you started to sing, you spoke with broken speech
That I could not understand, and then you grabbed me tightly.
I won't let go, I won't let go. Even if you say so, oh no.
I've tried and tried with no results. I won't let go, I won't let go.
He then played every song from nineteen ninety three.
Your eyelashes tickled my neck with every nervous blink,
And it was perfect until the telephone started
Ringing ringing ringing ringing ringing off...
The lyrics to Dntel's "Evan and Chan" paint a vivid picture of a night at a club or bar where the atmosphere is thick with smoke and the music is loud. The singer is drinking slowly and taking in the sights and sounds around them until someone, presumably Evan, starts to sing with "broken speech" that the singer cannot understand. Despite this, Evan grabs the singer tightly and refuses to let go, even if the singer requests it. As the night continues, Evan plays music from 1993, which the crowd enjoys as Evan bashfully curtsies. The singer is enjoying the moment until the telephone starts to ring, interrupting the perfect moment.
The lyrics can be interpreted in a few different ways, but at their core, they seem to be about a moment of connection between two people in a crowded and noisy place. Evan's broken speech could represent a language barrier or simply a lack of clarity in communication between the two. Despite this, there is a strong emotional connection between them that the singer does not want to let go of, even if the outside world intrudes.
Line by Line Meaning
It was familiar to me, the smoke too thick to breathe.
The environment was quite recognizable, but it was filled with a lot of smoke that made it difficult to breathe properly.
The tile floors glistened; I slowly stirred my drink.
The floors had an attractive shine and I was mixing my drink slowly while taking in the ambiance.
And when you started to sing, you spoke with broken speech
When you commenced singing, your speech became stuttered, which made it difficult to understand the words.
That I could not understand, and then you grabbed me tightly.
Due to the incoherent singing, I was unable to comprehend, but then, you grabbed me firmly.
I won't let go, I won't let go. Even if you say so, oh no.
I'm not giving up, regardless of what you say, I'm not letting you go.
I've tried and tried with no results. I won't let go, I won't let go.
Despite multiple attempts, there has been no progress, but still, I won't let you go.
He then played every song from nineteen ninety three.
He performed all the songs from 1993.
The crowd applauded as he curtsied bashfully.
As he modestly bowed down, the audience cheered in appreciation.
Your eyelashes tickled my neck with every nervous blink,
Your eyelashes brushed against my neck every time you blinked nervously.
And it was perfect until the telephone started Ringing ringing ringing ringing ringing off...
It was a flawless experience until the phone started ringing non-stop, ruining the moment.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG Rights Management
Written by: BENJAMIN GIBBARD, JAMES TAMBORELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind