The Australian dance-pop quartet’s sophomore album indicates they’re in it for the long haul, only sacrificing some of their prior identity in the process.

“Arriving almost four years to the day of that debut, sophomore record TILT chooses to answer the question primarily by writing more great dance-pop songs.  Although that’s not to say there hasn’t been a shift in sound to go along with it; comparing the openers to both albums makes this abundantly clear.  Confident Music’s “Try Your Luck” was a brash blast of obnoxious maximalism lyrically revelling in being much too sexy for all these pathetic boys who just can’t help but get obsessed.  TILT’s “Woman,” by contrast, is a slow-building deep-house throb with “Gypsy Woman” synth beds, clipped vocal loops – literally, you can hear where the samples cut in – and a confidently delivered spoken-word mantra rallying for female self-empowerment.  (“I am a woman of many words/But words do not define me.”)

It’s not exactly a grower, a band like Confidence Man are fundamentally incapable of penning growers, but it does take more than a few listens to become an absolutely irresistible banger and for the Con Man-ness to seep on through.  TILT leans heavier into the 90s house side of the outfit’s alt-dance DNA than their debut, which was more of a genre magpie pastiche where house was one ingredient rather than the primary aspect.  Whilst there are more than a few other cool-ass deep-house exercises – “Luvin’ U is Easy,” “Break It Bought It,” “Relieve the Pressure” – the band do stay true to form by mining some of the less fashionable elements of the decade’s dance-pop.  Eurodance, goofy big beat breaks, Sega Genesis/Saturn soundtracks, fashion runway music; a lot of this album sounds ideal for strutting on an exclusive and faintly-ridiculous Gucci runway.”

Full review exclusively at Soundsphere Magazine (link).

Callie Petch is the fire and the flame.