Re-commissioning the VIP yacht that set sail on debut album ‘Hanging Gardens’, LA’s Michael David and Tyler Blake keep pushing dreams as the complete pop package. ‘80s non-apologists launching old ideas about school discos and holiday romances fresh off the catwalk, ‘Faraway Reach’ gambols to round-the-clock sunshine, removing its designer shades for the occasional, well-timed skinny dip.
Making electro-pop to take selfies by that’ll have ‘em dancing in the scripted streets of Kensington, Classixx turn tropical the taste of Kygo and Years & Years for the chart-dance sensibility of ‘Just Let Go’, and ‘Ndivile’ nudging its way into an after party. ‘Safe Inside’ with Passion Pit, is bang on-trend, deserving of its own emoji; and a well executed move into dancehall pop has T-Pain tipping his top hat on ‘Whatever I Want’. Listen to it through a seashell and it has a certain ‘Sexual Healing’ flavour to it.
Owning synths that are zingier than most, carrying the hopes of the young, free and immaculate of barnet, Classixx stand tall in the field of retro-sounding fun, but take into consideration the style/substance debate by avoiding the excesses of the superficial. Tracks like ‘The Dissolve’ are Balearic-savvy and know what it takes to make a chillout compilation (at just the right time as well), whereas ‘Pure Distraction’ could travel around the world across a variety of platforms. Admittedly, the collaboration with De Lux ‘In These Fine Times’ bears lyricism that’s either hipster-profound or a Lonely Island audition, but it’s not an album built on sand while positioning itself thusly.
David and Blake take their appeal to higher heights by encapsulating the catchiness of the current dance-pop climate that was already bubbling away on their debut. Knowing their lane, size and cleverness are not factors here; ‘Faraway Reach’ is a happy place full of group hugs and big shiny grooves. Something’s up other than the surf if this doesn’t win the summer over.
8/10
Words: Matt Oliver
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