Chris Zane Produces Hit Sophomore Release for Sony
Pictured is Passion Pit producer Chris Zane with the TELEFUNKEN CU-29 large diaphragm condenser tube microphone.
NYC, August, 2012 — Producer Chris Zane helmed “Gossamer,” a just released second hit album from the Boston-based group Passion Pit. Featuring the striking falsetto of lead singer Michael Angelakos, the new album draws heavily on the warmth of the Copperhead CU-29 large diaphragm tube mic from TELEKUNKEN Elektroakustik of South Windsor, CT.
“We got hold of the Copperhead to try it out for the second album and I was just blown away,” remarked producer Chris Zane, who recorded the album with engineer Alex Aldi in Manhattan at Zane’s home base, Gigantic Studios. “I have a pretty extensive mic collection and after testing the Copperhead for Michael’s vocal, I knew I had to have this mic for the album. When we listened during tracking, it just sounded like the vocal already had a little bit of EQ and compression on it, almost as if it was on tape.”
Passion Pit , an electropop band from Cambridge, MA, was formed in 2007. The band consists of Michael Angelakos (lead vocals, keyboards), Ian Hultquist (keyboards, guitar), Jeff Apruzzese (bass, synth bass), and Nate Donmoyer (drums). All of the band members, with the exception of Angelakos, attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
The band’s first full-length studio album, “Manners,” was released in 2009. The song “Let Your Love Grow Tall” was featured in the TV series “Ugly Betty.” The album’s second single, “To Kingdom Come”, was used in the Rhapsody commercial for its iPhone application. The song “Moth’s Wings” was used in the CW teen drama “Gossip Girl” and in the closing credits of HBO’s “Big Love.”
“Gossamer”, which was released on Columbia Records, debuted at #4 on the Billboard top 200 and immediately earned rave reviews from the New York Times, The Guardian, Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone magazine.
“We did the vast majority of the vocals for the record with the Copperhead,” continued Chris Zane, “It has a super-natural and very pleasant curve to it. Warm, but clear — not jumpy or spiky, just very smooth. It sounds like the way you want a vocal to sound without having to do anything to it. I’ve been using it ever since Gossamer on a bunch of records, with great results every time.”