Wente Vineyards Presents
Karl's Artist Bio

Thanks for exploring "Discover the Wine, Discover The Music." If you're reading this, it's likely that you, like me, love fine wine and great music. Both are extraordinary complements to the moments in life that we cherish the most--reflection, celebration, creation and inspiration. I've put some of my thoughts down, as a winemaker and a musician, on why I believe these songs and wines are especially well-suited for each other. Of course, I encourage you to mix and match to discover your own personal favorites.

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Phantogram Sample Download

Phantogram’s music sounds like it’s made by a band from the city. Electronic loops, hip-hop beats, shoegaze, soul, pop — each finds its way into their songs. Unexpectedly, the band doesn’t live and work in a major urban center, but rather calls the town of Saratoga Springs, NY (population 26,186) home. Despite the cultural influence of local Skidmore College (where fellow beat-experimenters Ratatat formed) and a relatively small scene of adventurous musicians and listeners, Saratoga isn’t exactly teeming with fans of J. Dilla, My Bloody Valentine or Serge Gainsbourg. But Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel, the duo that make up Phantogram and who grew up in the even smaller nearby municipality of Greenwich, have flourished in Saratoga. In fact, the town itself isn’t rural enough for their taste — they drive almost every day another 45 minutes into upstate farmland to a barn they call Harmony Lodge to write and record. Serving as their homemade studio/practice space/think-tank/bat-cave, the barn is equipped with various samplers, tapes, records, synths, drums, and both percussive and stringed instruments. It’s there that Phantogram allows their natural surroundings and metropolitan influences to meld together creating beautiful, beat-driven dreamlike pop songs.

“Refreshing, unusual and diverting.” - BBC

“They take chances and the risks pay off.” - Indie Rock Reviews

Check out Karl’s wine pairing for this song here.

Related Link: http://www.phantogram.net/