Seraphina Lotkhamnga on October 28th, 2011

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Gorgeous and gentle atmospheric pop music is always a guarantee from L.A. artist Michael Orendy, aka Frankel. He’s intoxicated us with sweetly swelling orchestrations on his two previous albums “Lullabys for the Passersby” and “Anonymity Is the New Fame,” and he’s preparing to offer his latest collection of gems in form of “Sugar Twists Like Hurricane.” Slated for a self-release Nov. 8 on his label Peanut Dungeon, the record is titled after a lyric from the last track and derives from Orendy’s interest in wordplay. “I have always enjoyed the juxtaposition of sweet and dark themes like candy and a tooth ache,” he says. Although the singer-songwriter quickly discovered the personality of Frankel was a rather quiet one after his last release, the expansive nature of the forthcoming album speaks volumes even when it is more intimate. “Sugar Twists is another step toward being real, and as a result, more vulnerable,” he adds. It can be heard in the single-tracked vocals that were “more in the moment and less labored over,” but Orendy once again masters the art of transforming words from an introvert into universal anthems. Feather light arpeggios in tracks such as “Double or Nothing” is appropriate for his soft-spoken demeanor. However, the arrangements never fail to soar with a special gumption, especially when co-producer Kirk Hellie lends a hand on tenor guitar, mandolin and banjo.

||| Download: “Double or Nothing”

Photo by Nathaniel Hunt