Digits is the musical alter-ego of Toronto-based Alt Altman. Eagle-eyed readers will note that we recently featured Mr Altman in his capacity as one half of dreamy R&B duo Bad Passion, whose first EP should be arriving shortly. Listening to his solo output, it’s clear how much of an influence he’s had on their sound.
Alt’s been making music his whole life, although things really took off when he started with indie rockers The Ghost Is Dancing back in 2005. But when he started getting good reactions to his own electronica, he decided to pursue that avenue. It’s paid off: both 2009′s “Hold It Close” and last April’s “Lost Dream” EP got a (well-deserved) great reception, and his current single “Because It’s Wrong” foretells good things to come.
His work is inspired by the likes of Kraftwerk and Caribou, as well as my beloved The xx, with whom he shares a particularly similar approach. In fact, his minimal, ambient beats could well be off an xx record; the biggest difference is that where Oli Sim hardly ever scrapes above a whisper, Alt is gifted with a confident and soulful voice that he’s not afraid to deploy. I’m not saying he’s a screamer, mind you; we are comparing against probably the quietest band of the last decade here…
As well as being a fan of other electronic artists, Alt has a penchant for folk. That shines through, both in his direct approach to song-writing, and in his lyricism. He’s not afraid to tackle political themes. The cover art for single “Smooth Liar” is Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (I confess I didn’t recognise him) – I leave you to draw your own conclusions from the association. It’s like New Order covering Bob Dylan, only really stripped back.
Overall, then, Digits makes smart, sensual and refined electropop. He’s already well on his way up the slope, and he looks set to continue. His next release, “Only Affection”, will be available free on his website, with a full-length album, “Get Through”, currently slated for a November release. I think we can all safely assume that they will both be well worth checking out.
Connect with Digits – Facebook | Twitter | Website | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
Digits – ”Lost Dream”
Digits – ”Smooth Liar”
Digits – ”Because It’s Wrong”
