WHEN Brisbane's Confidence Man released their debut album, Confident Music For Confidence People, in 2018 it sounded like a bunch of mates having a blast mucking around with electronic dance toys.
That's because it was exactly that. The four-piece were the combination of members from indie bands The Belligerents, Moses Gunn Collective and The Jungle Giants who happened to strike electronic dance gold with their catchy single Boyfriend (Repeat).
Confidence Man has since become the primary focus for charismatic frontwoman Janet Planet and her sidekick Sugar Bones and their mysterious bandmates Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild.
Album No.2 Tilt is a much bigger statement than their debut. Another four years to explore electronic music has seen Confidence Man expand their palette. Whereas Confident Music For Confidence People was inspired by Manchester's late '80s and early '90s Hacienda scene, Tilt channels the more mainstream house and techno trends of the '90s.
What I Like, which features Bones on lead vocals, sees the band explore funk and Cuban rhythms, while Feels Like A Different Thing combines Kylie Minogue's early '90s dance-pop beats with a soaring choral explosion. It's sure to become a new fan favourite.
There's plenty of Planet's trademark sass throughout. On her self-dubbed "J-Lo slut jam", Toy Boy, Planet brings a R'n'B smokiness to her vocal. While on the Madonna Vogue-inspired opener, Woman, Planet sets out the album's mission statement with a spoken-word delivery of, "This is the house I built with my own two hands/ And If I so desire I will burn it down/ So don't call me the spark/ I'm the fire and the flame."
The instrumental Trumpet Song is another track where Confidence Man explores new sonic boundaries, where London meets New Orleans.
Tilt isn't as fun or as cheeky as the band's debut. There's nothing to match the pop magic of Boyfriend (Repeat). That said, Tilt shows Confidence Man have the self-belief to expand their sound and take electronic music seriously.