Tanlines

Mixed Emotions True Panther Sounds ***

There’s no doubting the star turn on this long overdue debut album proper from Tanlines. Real Life is still Eric Emm and Jesse Cohen’s killer tune, more than two years after it first appeared online, a lovely, quirky pop song that brings together many different musical lines. The Brooklyn duo’s problem is that Real Life still defines them, and they haven’t quite moved on from it. Sure, there are many tunes here cut from similar cloth – Brothers and All of Me are similarly in hock to Afro-originated grooves, Balearic house and smart pop ideas – but none quite grab your attention in the same way. It’s an odd state of affairs; Tanlines obviously have what it takes

to string a catchy pop tune together, yet here they shun that approach in favour of less ambitious twists. twitter.com/tanlines

JIM CARROLL

Download track: Real Life