Critiques CD: Tanlines | Mixed Emotions

Tanlines’ full-length debut is the cacophonous brainchild of Brooklyn duo Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm, who seem poised to join experimental electronica à la Miracle Fortress with the hooks and grand narratives prevalent in contemporary pop. Mixed Emotions is full of aural clashes, but think of it like color-blocking contrasting shades in an outfit: it stands out, but in such a way that you want to keep looking. Cohen errs on the side of minimalism in his sonic constructions so as not to overcrowd the overall sound, while Emm’s vocals function like a boyband-heartthrob-gone-native – fittingly, as standout track “Real Life” (pulled directly from their 2010 Settings EP) is an islandic non sequitur with the Caribbean feel of steel drums and rhythmic clicks.