With a funky and fiercely danceable vibe on the agenda, the album smarts of obnoxious electronica clamouring for memorable pop gold. Though opener South Pacific struggles to make an impact, the album finds its feet with Land Of The Nod‘s academic groove, the song echoing the modus operandi of Franz Ferdinand’s most recent LP.
Is Tropical soon tap into something special with supercharged single The Greeks, the track boasting a jittery robotic insistence with a killer hook in tow. Its follow-up, What??? – though it attempts to maintain momentum – falters, its irritable, tedious melody proving utterly exhausting. It makes for a disappointing transition, but such is the trend with Is Tropical: its dizzying highs are doomed to be met equally efficient come-downs, with too many inclusions straddling a monotonous void. Often, Is Tropical’s aesthetic can be found within striking distance of two key extremes – that is, passive or aggressive outputs – and it’s often frustrating that they refuse to ditch their ambivalence and go for broke.
Naturally, the result is a hit and miss experience. Though they frequently target an ultra-fashionable electro-pop splendour, Is Tropical never quite claim a bullseye. Enjoyable but unessential.
Best track: The Greeks
In A Word: Acceptable
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