Tetine - Let Your Xs Be Ys

Following the success of Bonde de Role and CSS, Tetine may seem mere bandwagon-jumpers in regards to the baile funk scene, but this is in fact their eighth album, despite being their first UK release. Album opener I Go To The Doctor suggests that Tetine offer more of the same style, complete with abstract shouty vocals and cheap, energetic synth-drum sounds. However, over the course of this album, Tetine provide a calmer, introspective alternative - the rhythms are still bouncy, but there’s an underlying sense of melancholy. The highlight, Let The X Be X, is a progressive electro track that builds to a trippy, groove-laden climax. The album suffers from a lack of variation - especially considering its hour-plus length - and the multi-lingual vocals can be difficult to appreciate, but its nonetheless a worthwhile exploration of the possibilities within a specific style.