Tanlines - Mixed Emotions
- Written by Nick Cowan
Break out the piña colada’s! Get a Hawaiian shirt on! Well, that’s if Tanlines' eagerly awaited debut album Mixed Emotions is anything like their previous releases. The Brooklyn-based duo have been doing the rounds on the ol’ blogosphere since 2008, putting out heady summer remixes of The Tough Alliance, Memory Tapes and Au Revoir Simone that left you sunburnt just listening. Their EP Settings and their later EP with some remixes on were synth-pop at its best, drawing on tropical sounds to create fun, danceable records.
With all this in mind it is somewhat surprising to find Mixed Emotions quite an earnest and melancholic affair. The first listen is a bit like turning up for a pool party and finding out it's a dinner party. Sure, it’s not what you were expecting and you feel a bit silly in Speedos but once you get over the initial disappointment; you start to enjoy yourself albeit in a more ‘mature’ manner.
It isn’t a surprise that ‘Real Life’ is the only track to have made the leap over from the EP. The timbales beat compliments the vocals and works well with the warm synth and is probably where the transition from club/party/DJ guys to band began in earnest. Mixed Emotions continues this transition and displays a more nuanced use of tropical sounds that provide a richer experience for the listener and a chance for the band to diversify. The album's main concern is with life changes like growing old and loss, all wrapped up in uplifting melodies. ‘Yes Way’ juxtaposes Eric Emm’s sombre telling of a lost love with a toe tapping melody that says things are moving on but it’s going to be ok, “When my mind’s on you/I see the whole picture/There’s nothing I can do/But stand back in awe”.
The reckless synth abandon of earlier recordings has been replaced by a more diverse, stadium sound, which compliments Emm’s nostalgic vocals. There are nods to Springsteen and a fairly large nod to Paul Simon, which give the album a feeling of longevity. While it's a shame that the pool party vibe seems to have been more or less banished, there is more than enough here to make this a great record - less sizzling party music and more contemplative sun-downer songs. It won’t keep the party in full swing but it’s definitely something you’ll want to put on the next day.