Dance-y Band Confidence Man Deliver The Throwback Thrills On Their Second Album 'Tilt'

Serious music always piques the interest of the critics, but Confidence Man is all fun and all the better for it. For those who like dance music, this one is a must-listen, as a near-constant flow of euphoria with each track.

The Australian group Confidence Man debuted in 2018 with a killer critically-acclaimed blast of dance tracks highly reminiscent of the initial batch of disco-nostalgia-influenced house groups from the 90s. While that sound is sometimes looked down on as outdated today, the likes of Dua Lipa have since popularized the sound in dance-pop form. With the constant influx of classic influence, Confidence Man this time adds more pop and other sounds on a varied set of 12 tracks, all as upbeat and celebratory as the first album. The opening trio of Tilt captures the joy and reverence of the project, not needing to wade too far outside of comfortable waters to once again make an impression.

Possibly from wider exposure or perhaps because the initial hype from the group has worn off, this second Confidence Man album has a slightly lower Metacritic score than the first. Hopefully, that won't deter many, because this album is as good or better than the first. Nearly every song shows off a fun bit of alternative dance callbacks, from the group-sung swagger punctuating the background of 'What I Like' to the shouted performance by co-lead vocalist Janet Planet on 'Angry Girl.' For 2022 dance music, it doesn't get much better or more universally appealing than Confidence man, period.

Rating: 8/10

★★★★★★★★☆☆