NZCA/Lines Loaf ***
Formerly of blink-and-you- missed-them next big things Your Twenties, Michael Lovett has finally found his groove as NZCA/Lines. It's an interesting and sure-footed groove, too, resplendent with the Londoner's take on 1990s r'n'b (Aaliyah has been cited a couple of times by Lovett as an inspiration), 1980s electro, and oddball, arty lyrical concerns. What makes tracks such as Compass Pointsand especially the rather fine Okinawa Channelsso alluring is how producer Charlie Alex March blends Lovett's light, ice-cool falsetto with a succession of sleek, rounded, robust electropop shimmies to produce one extraterrestrial torch song after another. It's an attractive album for many reasons, not least because it stands out a mile from its haze- bedecked peers by bringing fascinating, focused melodies to the fore. One for those following the Hot Chip and Metronomy guides to modern bespoke electronic pop. nzca-lines.com
Download tracks: Okinawa Channels, Compass Points
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SJQTLMCMMRC2PLALXUKEWWS6HU.png)