After recording and performing for many years as Mantler, Toronto’s Chris A. Cummings renamed himself Marker Starling in 2012. A solo performer for much of his career, Cummings became known for his signature Melancholy Party Jams, played on a Wurltizer electric piano, with drum machine accompaniment.
After a longtime association with Germany’s Tomlab label, who released the second, third and fourth Mantler records (SADISFACTION, LANDAU and MONODY) Cummings began working with Tin Angel in 2010, when they co-released MONODY and released fifth album ROSY MAZE to great acclaim in 2015. Since then, Tin Angel have released three more Marker Starling records: I’M WILLING (2016), ANCHORS AND AMPERSANDS (2017), and TRUST AN AMATEUR (2018). Cummings’ ninth record HIGH JANUARY, recorded in the UK and produced by Sean O’Hagan (The High Llamas, Stereolab) will be released in April 2020.
Cummings has collaborated with the German band Von Spar, contributing vocals and lyrics to their albums STREETLIFE (2014) and UNDER PRESSURE (2019). “Deep Background,” a song he wrote for Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier appeared on FIND ME FINDING YOU (2017). His music is also released on 7e.p. Records in Japan, where he has toured twice, and where he embodied the singing voice of the character Desmond in the popular anime CAROLE AND TUESDAY (2019).
“Impossibly plush meld of early solo Paul McCartney melodies and Steely Dan jazz” NME
“Classy, but it’s not style over substance – there’s a real gut-punch one-two here that’ll leave you reeling”The Line Of Best Fit
“So curious, so evocative, so wilfully idiosyncratic that we can’t help but play it on repeat” Clash Magazine
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