Mar 17, 2010

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Mantler is the keyboard-pop project of Toronto's Chris Cummings. The velvet-y crooner's tunes have strands of soul, R&B, jazz, and '70s soft-rock. (Think of Fleetwood Mac with a little scratchy vinyl bump). His fourth LP is entitled Monody, and will come out April 13th courtesy of Tomlab. The throwback aesthetic makes sense once you find out Cummings initially majored in classical piano composition for 14 years, before moving onto film production studies. To seal the deal, he's since become an enthusiastic record collector, known for throwing rare groove and soul jazz LPs into his eclectic DJ sets.

For the upcoming release, his latest since 2004's Landau, Cummings collaborated with several Canadian artists. Six cuts off Monody were helmed by longtime Mantler producer. Classical-pop maestro Owen Pallett laid down some brass arrangements for two songs, and Zack G. Jeremy Greenspan (Junior Boys) and Leon Taheny (Owen Pallett, Bruce Peninsula) each produced two tunes.

Check out the smooth and wobbly pop grooves of "Fresh and Fair" above. Smacks a little of Steely Dan (in the best possible way). Mantler will be playing the Tomlab/K/Asthmatic Kitty SXSW showcase tonight at Beauty Bar (8 p.m.). For additional tour dates click over to his MySpace.