Dntel (aka
Jimmy Tamborello) produces music that merges the worlds of indie rock and electronica.
Tamborello was a guitarist in the emocore group
Strictly Ballroom and also a member of techno-poppers
Figurine. In addition, he did time in the southern California groups
Further and
the Tyde.
Tamborello originally started working as
Dntel in 1994. Tracks he produced between 1995-1997 were released on the Phthalo label in 1999 as
Early Works for Me If It Works for You. This was followed by the 2000 release of an EP that had been recorded back in 1994 called Something Always Goes Wrong. The melancholy, often haunting, and electronica-heavy effort
Life Is Full of Possibilities arrived in 2002 on Plug Research Records. It featured contributions from
Chris Gunst (
Beachwood Sparks, ex-
Strictly Ballroom),
Rachel Haden (
that dog.), and
Benjamin Gibbard (
Death Cab for Cutie), among others.
Tamborello moved to Sub Pop, also home of his other very successful project,
the Postal Service, for
Dntel's 2007 album
Dumb Luck, which featured
Gibbard,
Jenny Lewis,
Conor Oberst, and many other indie stars. The three-disc 2009 release
Early Works for Me If It Works for You II compiled the original Early Works for Me and Something Always Goes Wrong with outtakes. ~ Erik Hage, All Music Guide