!!! – As If

!!! – the band so obnoxiously named that knowing how to pronounce the symbols certifies you a know-it-all and will possibly see you eschewed at parties – have returned with a record of flamboyant dance music that’s as supremely confident as their hard-to-Google title. The irreverent Californian multi-membered outfit have always had a rebellious streak, and it’s currently best reflected in how decidedly un-hip this record is. Single Freedom! 15 has a prolonged, outrageously disco-vibed “ba-a-by-y-y” taking pride of place within its chorus, and the slick, bassy breakdown is built for multiple enthusiastic shoulder shimmies.

There’s a lot of silliness, but !!! are strict ringmasters. A precisely calibrated, thoroughly considered act, it takes a real head for heights to loop “I got this funk” with a relatively straight face, and without putting a single foot wrong. While As If probably isn’t a reference to Cher’s timeless catchphrase in Clueless, the record definitely embodies something of Alicia Silverstone’s unquestionable teen sass; a hair-flicking, impeccably dressed triumph.