Originally a home-recording
project, Mantler (Chris A. Cummings) has
in recent years become a regular presence on the Toronto live music
scene. Playing a wurlitzer electric piano accompanied by a 1970s
Rhythm Ace drum machine, Mantler has made many fans among Toronto's
music community.
Beginning with the longer, moody songs of 2000's DOIN' IT ALL, released on James Duncan's Le Systeme label, and continuing through 2002’s SADISFACTION, the first Mantler album to be released on Germany’s Tomlab label, Cummings sought to impose tighter controls over his song structures, culminating in LANDAU (Tomlab, 2004), which also marked his first usage of programmed beats and interlocking parts, and was also the first Mantler album to be completely produced by longtime associate Zack G.
LANDAU was rated #15 on Rolling Stone Germany’s Critic’s Chart in 2004.
The new Mantler album MONODY, co-produced by Zack G, Jeremy Greenspan (Junior Boys) and Leon Taheny (Final Fantasy), will be released by Tomlab and Tin Angel.
In addition to playing live regularly in Toronto, Cummings made short solo tours of Italy and Germany in 2004, and also toured Europe and the UK in 2007 opening for Constellation artist Sandro Perri (Polmo Polpo).
