Released:
Rating:
A glorious eruption of party culture and unabashed Skittle-pop.
Label: Heavenly Recordings
Released: 13th April 2018
Rating: ★★★★★
When was the last time you threw yourself into a party? Just pure unadulterated fun without the fear of being judged or holding on to any qualms about letting yourself being wrapped in every glorious second. That exact feeling, of throwing away who you are at the door and diving in, is exactly what makes Confidence Man such a special band – and what makes ‘Confident Music For Confident People’ such an essential album for a time where being afraid and stepping back may seem like the easiest thing to do. A glorious eruption of party culture and unabashed Skittle-pop, it’s Confidence Man distilling the ‘give no fucks’ attitude of clubland with mesmerising melodies and the sort of immediate hit that pulls you right into their world.
Mixing the spoken chimes of LCD Soundsystem with the electroclash world that stemmed from those late 90s days in New York City, ‘Confident Music For Confident People’ is ht living embodiment of the word fun. Never too serious in its own shell, the likes of ‘Boyfriend’ and ‘Better Sit Down Boy’ feel like an early 00s pop anthem that got lost in time, ripping with youthful energy and dreaming. Throughout, it’s an album that forever feels like it’s bathed in a sea of confetti and glitter – but there’s more to it than that. ‘C.O.O.L. Party’ is like a fresh-take on LCD’s ‘Losing My Edge’, flowing through a night at the party of the year with observational class, while ‘Out The Window’, ‘Fascination’ and ‘All The Way’ feel like outtakes from Screamadelica in their choir-like sunshine and head swaying bliss.
More than anything, Confidence Man’s debut is all-in. Not in the sense like here’s everything we’ve worked on, what do you think – but more along the lines of ‘here we are, we’re going all in and let’s just dance around in the embers we leave behind’. As an album, it’s nothing short of stunning, a band giving zero fucks and simply thriving in the spotlight, and it’s in that essence that they become unrivalled. Big in anthems, ready for the party and with their best tux on – Confidence Man are here to have the best of times, and it’s pretty hard to argue that the best party you’ll find this year is with them. We’ll see you under the disco ball. Jamie Muir
