Do you say it like "Tongue"?

Tunng
With Geoff Farina (Karate, Secret Stars) and Brown Bird
Middle East Upstairs
Thursday, October 25
$10 advance / $12 doors // 18+

Yes, you do, and the band sounds as smooth as a tongue, rippled with tastebuds for (super)sonic texture. Though the name might suggest a Norwegian origin, Tunng actually started in a Soho (that's London, not New York) basement, with electronic guru Mike Lindsay and singer-songwriter Sam Genders simply playing around in the studio. Their collaborations got such positive feedback that the duo began to make albums, including Mother's Daughter and Other Songs and Comments Of The Inner Chorus, both of which were popular with critics.

The band's latest album, Good Arrows, continues their ambient folktronica tradition, getting a little bit mellower and more melodic. Despite the occasional strange sounds, these are real, structured songs--more real than you might have come to expect from electronic music. The surreal, quasi-storytelling lyrics lilt over the music like another instrument. Listening to Good Arrows is similar to enjoying a rainy day that's warm and pretty despite being gray--it's not quite perfect, but it succeeds in moving you in ways you never expected. And, at just the right time, the drizzle opens up into sunshine.