The Republic Tigers make mood music for the future- something resembling ambient folk (or something of that ilk). Named after front-man and bands founder Kenn Jankowski’s high school mascot, the Republic Tigers are a lot like their name – strangely familiar, but undeniably unique. Their layered brand of synth-driven ballads, wrenched out by former choir-boy-turned rockabilly crooner blends the folk-y sounds of the past with ambient synthesized sounds aiding – As Jankowski explains it, “there are just too many limitations in using just a guitar.”
A self-proclaimed “gamer,” Jankowski’s love of electronic music stemmed from his love of technology (he even said the ideal venue for their music would be a videogame soundtrack.) Before you sneer at the computer screen, you should realize that it was Mario Brothers. and all those other brilliantly catchy video game theme songs that got most of the electro kids started on the sound at an early age. Don’t try to tell me you can’t remember how the Mario Brothers theme goes?
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After catching up with the Republic Tigers at The Red Bull Moon Tower in Austin for their synthesized folk explosion, I realized that they represent the future of folk, catchy music, with a message. The Republic Tigers fuse organic sounds into their heavily developed electronically created music, which helps them hold on to their small-town folk (music) origins. Heavily layered and strewn with a blend of samples and strange organic sounds, the Republic Tigers are a bit like an electronically produced version of the Beach Boys – producing a fantastical pop sound at painstaking lengths.
Soft and soothing, but heavily layered in it’s sound, the Republic Tigers make the kind of music to “make babies to” or at least to relax and take a break from the stresses of daily festivities. However, when played super-loud as I saw them at the Red Bull Moontower with walls of speakers and sound, The Republic Tigers will seep into your psyche, transfixing the mind and making the ladies swoon.
Look for them at their upcoming US tour with Travis…
Words and photos by Jamie Newman
