Confidence Man: Tilt Track by Track Review

Confidence Man are one of the most unique dance bands around at the moment. The Australians make music that is incredibly funny, with each taking on a different persona. There's Janet Planet, Sugar Bones, Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild. Within these personas, they take on characters that are outwardly and bizarrely confident, the popular kids who grew up to love all of life's luxuries.

It made for a brilliant debut album called 'Confident Music for Confident People'. Now they've released their second album Tilt and we thought we'd take you through it track by track.

 

Woman

This one has a keys progression that sounds as if it belongs on the shores of Ibiza. We hear Janet's typically blunt line delivery fade into the rhythm that is punctuated with soft bounces of synth and driving percussion. "Don't call me the spark, I'm the fire and the flame, okay?" Janet asks.

The final third builds and builds into a kaleidoscopic vision. 

 

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Feels Like A Different Thing

"You know I love it when you move so free", sounds like we've just entered a suggestive gym class. The gospel-like vocals on the chorus are glorious and sooner or later you'll be wanting to move your arms up in glorious worship. This song is an example of a group that never takes themselves too seriously, it feels like a pastiche of classic clubbing tunes.

 

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What I Like

This track immediately feels like a party, with blaring brass instruments in your ears with the sounds of partying in the background. This has Sugar Bones take the lead as he leads a communion of "getting down right now". Sugar Bones' over the top line delivery is golden, it's suggestiveness is hilariously over the top.

Janet chimes in during the chorus and it makes for a perfectly mental atmosphere. There ain't no party like a Confidence Man party.

 

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Toy Boy

We're greeted by plenty of weird production choices and strange sound effects but it's all part of the appeal here. Janet is enjoying having the thrill of a toy boy, describing how "crazy, sexy, cool" they are. The song enters electronic territory at one point as an oscillating rhythm reaches a climax.

 

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Luvin U Is Easy

Here, we're catapulted into orbit and slowly brought back down to Earth by the beat. It's a track that feels quite sincere for Confidence Man as Janet describes feelings of feeling alone when this person isn't around. The chorus has a magnetic flow to it, each lyric flowing so seamlessly and the groove tying everything together.

 

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Holiday

Confidence Man are setting off on a journey across the world, with the group determined to live things up to their fullest. Their mission is to deliver a message of living life to the fullest. Their synths stride out like sunbeams and you can't help but smile during this one.

 

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Trumpet Song

Surprise, surprise this track features some trumpets. If you're in the mood for something that feels like a bit of a fiesta, then come straight to this. The beat drop is incredibly satisfying despite not being too daring. No vocals are on this one, just shouts and cheers as the melody does all the talking.

 

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Angry Girl

The bass feels incredible here, as Janet channels the angriest side of her. Ready to claw somebody to death, she screams like an animal as she threatens to break faces. This is truly her in her most insane side, with a backing track that is suitably chaotic and if anything encourages you to bounce along to rage.

This is where those personas and inflated egos really hit their peak. 

 

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Push It Up

A song like a tropical sunrise, the vocals are in a choir of unison as the beat elevates to the point it will have you craving for Summer already. Janet stakes her claim as an international girl, sounding almost as if she's feigning a British accent at one point. Another crazy, crazy track.

 

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Kiss N Tell

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A short track that sees Sugar Bones sing amongst a beat that feels all over the place, constantly submerged in a chaotic mixture of sounds. It's an incredibly jarring and random track.

 

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Break It Bought It

We are assured that we are only living in Janet Planet's world, we are simply only side characters. "They named all the planets after me" she confidently decrees. "Witness my ascension, I am the answer to your question". Hell, who are we to disagree? A song that bounces from start to finish.

 

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Relieve The Pressure

Finishing with the longest track on the album, it makes a bombastic start with blaring trumpets and keys that feel right in front of your face. There are echoes in the background of "everyone break it down". Singing in French for the first time, it adds a new dimension to Janet's repertoire.

An all-dancing, floor-filling track, it is the perfect way to end the album.

 

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In conclusion, the second album from Confidence Man carries on their tradition of never taking themselves too seriously. Their inflated egos make for some incredibly memorable lyrics and they still make beats that any dance music producer would be proud of. It may not be as uncompromisingly funny as their debut but there's still so much fun to be had listening to Tilt.

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.