Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA)
The palette of 3AM (LA LA LA) invokes a bounce of the head, yes, and perhaps that is all that it’s meant to be – a delivery vehicle for their lauded live performance
2022’s Tilt brought eyes to the brilliance of Confidence Man; the Australian dance quartet lauded for their vital live performances. We need only look to their endless string of appearances at this year’s Glastonbury to observe how the music enthusiast community extols their shows.
This heralds 3AM (LA LA LA), their third album. While it is enormous fun, there should be no expectation of a 'shock of the new'; it can feel, somewhat, like ConMan are treading water. The album’s thrust is a natural continuation of their clutch on 90s Eurodance, replete with pat lyrics about kissing DJs and looking up at the stars.
Moments like SICKO, recalling The Crystal Method’s acidic big beat sound, feel like genuine forward trajectory; the conservative use of Planet’s vocals face-scrunchingly good, the synth lines evocative of Alabama 3’s Woke Up This Morning. WRONG IDEA feels more like New York house, Planet erring on Amyl and the Sniffers gnarling over the foggy, euphoric thrum of a dancefloor classic; nostalgic in its Dee-Lite-esque reverb punches.
The palette, however, still feels somewhat facile; a surface-level utilisation of the 90s house model. It invokes a bounce of the head, yes, and perhaps that is all that it’s meant to be – a delivery vehicle for their (rightly) lauded live performance.
Listen to: SICKO, WRONG IDEA, 3AM (LA LA LA)