James Figurine

Maybe Jimmy Tamborello’s just lonely or in love with his friends, but it sure seems like he’s incapable of going it alone when he’s making records. While I can’t deny the quality he’s given us under the guises of Dntel, Figurine and of course, the Postal Service, his reliance on outside help is suspect. Unsurprisingly, for his foray into Kraut-inspired techno pop, he’s roped in another long list of guests to flesh out his ideas. Assistance comes from established tech-head John Tejada, who co-wrote and arranged some of the tunes, as well as Jenny Lewis, Erlend Øye and Morgan Nagler, among a few others, who lend their voices. Conceived on the road during Figurine’s German tour back in 2001, Mistake is a stab at reliving those sounds that accompanied him in the tour van. As he’s proven many times before, he has the skills to do just about anything he pleases, and this venture is no exception. "White Ducks” is the biggest departure from his canon, proving just how much of an effect that Kompakt compilation had on him during the long stretches along the Autobahn. "Leftovers” proves he’s a competent singer, especially for this click-y, glitch pop vein, and "All the Way to China” fulfils the potential a collaboration with Øye has, thanks to a touch of ambience to the minimal techno vibe. Sadly, the only downer is in how he utilises Lewis’s lovely voice, which is not nearly enough on the lifeless "You Again.” He’s in good company once again, but hopefully one day Tamborello will give us something all on his own just to prove that he can.