Secret Lawns Cover

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Our Take

Panther’s music can be described as Avant-Disco, or Funk Punk, or Alternative Disco Funk. Panther creates some of the most messed up music to stick in your head. Over layers of dance rock beats and synthesizers, band member Charlie Salas-Humara howls like a caged animal or a person possessed by some foreign demon. Charlie uses his voice as a primary instrument. Comparisons to Prince are rightfully in order.

The range of influences are all over the map for Panther’s 2007 album “Secret Lawns.” One song utilizes an old school drum machine, where another employs a stuttering vocal line reminiscent of something off Faust IV. Beats are broken up and thrown against each other, staggering to compete (much like what Autechre does). The fact Panther takes such difficult ideas and puts them into a danceable, funky, catchy mess is pretty remarkable.

Panther’s music would fit perfectly in films and tv shows with dark and strange subject matter, and maybe a bit of quirky thrown in. Perhaps indie films? Panther is perfect for Musync because its sound is quite unique and doesn’t fall into any specific category, even-though it’s pretty much Disco Punk and very 80s influenced.

Band Talk

Panther Group Portrait
Charlie Salas-Humara Vocals
Cello
Keys
Joe Kelly Drums

Portland, Oregon’s Charlie Salas-Humara was Panther. And Panther was some mutant form of Charlie. Churning out shattered pop hits that few have the ears to comprehend, Panther was a one-man disaster squad. Today, Panther is the two-headed effort of Charlie on vocals, cello, and keys and Joe Kelly on drums.

The music is hard match of damaged soul, falsetto disco, and broken synth fueled freakouts, which is as addictive as it is challenging. Panther isn’t easily ignored for its unpredictable and energetic solo performances, tainted with throbbing bass, minimalistic hooks, and jittery dance routines.

Panther’s influences run deep and take as much from Pop and R&B as Free Jazz and Punk. In the past year, Panther has infiltrated MTV2 (up for Video of the Year), Spin Magazine, and modern dance academia. While touring with both Ratatat and Gossip, Charlie has managed to polarize audiences thoroughly between the immediate super-fans and super confused gawkers.

“Secret Lawns” is the eagerly anticipated full-length follow up from last year’s “Yourself 12″.” It shows that Panther knows no boundaries, not only in terms of genre but also social and societal. Charlie recorded and played most of the instruments himself, excluding guest accompaniments from members of Yacht, White Rainbow, Plants, Point Line Plane, and E*Rock.

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