There must be some freedom in not necessarily being the focal point of a band like that, but knowing that you are absolutely contributing to the sound, and thus the success, of such a project. Then again, there are bound to be those urges to stretch out & take the reins of your own musical ideas. Brenner is all the more lucky because he is talented in his own right, so when he does make his own records (under the name Naytronix), they are just as note-worthy. So having a new Naytronix record is certainly cause for attention, and ultimately, celebration!
As one might surmise, the songs on Mister Divine are grounded by solid, active, inventive bass lines, and decorated with the kinds of polygot touches that tUnE-yArDs revels in. But there is a clear difference in tone with Brenner's solo work, scaling back the manic vocal stylings of Merrill Garbus and delving into more atmospheric approaches. There's a dynamic, cosmopolitan dub vibe that sounds like the kind of record to have been conceived in time-shifted airplanes jetsetting across the globe, as indeed it was. Tracks with titles like "Starting Over," "Back in Time" and "I Don't Remember" might suggest melancholic, nostalgic looks backwards, but the album is 100% forward-thinking and one that seems to grow on the listen with every new listen.
Tracklist:
1. Mister Divine
2. Starting Over
3. Dream
4. Back in Time
5. The Wall
6. I Don’t Remember
7. Future
8. Living in a Magazine
9. Shadow