Album Review: Confidence Man - '3AM (LA LA LA)'
On their third album ‘3AM (LA LA LA), dance delinquents Confidence Man offer an elite pick & mix of British-rave inspired anthems.
Completely unserious and winningly delirious, Confidence Man was born in 2016 when the group started making dance music as a joke – until they realised that the material actually sounded good. Their recent collaboration with DJ Seinfeld ‘Now U Do’ has elevated their profile, but their legendary gigs propelled them to perform at Glastonbury in 2022 and 2024.
Unquestionably one of the hottest live acts on the circuit, goofy synchorised choreography from Janet Planet (Grace Stephenson) and Sugar Bones (Aiden Moore) distract from the black-clad back half of the band Clarence McGuffie (Sam Hales) and Reggie Goodchild (Lewis Stephenson) who make the music happen. In-between partying with Noel Gallagher and attempting to recruit The Edge for a tambourine feature, the Brisbane outfit have found time to craft their British-rave inspired third album ‘3AM (LA LA LA).
Beginning with ‘WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU’LL FIND’, it makes you ponder the question – what have we come to expect from Confidence Man? If to start you were thinking a new-era ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’, correct! A soaring Euro-trance stormer, it charged into the album with relentless energy.
The record is unmistakably indebted to 90’s throwbacks in the best possible way – Moore smoulders in the shadows in the oddly formidable ‘SICKO’ that is grittier sonically and vocally, a Britpop slow-burn that sounds like Damon Albarn having an identity crisis. Taking a leaf from the Crystal Waters book of hooks, the house grooves of ‘REAL MOVE TOUCH’ make for a buoyant listen complete with Sweetie Irie playing hype-man in a jarring feature.
In places they edge into more experimental territory, take ‘SO TRU’ as a winning example. The stuttered garage number binds with Planets saccharine vocals, as ever she remains achingly cool and slides into a new genre with ease. In another wild turn, the blissed-out trip-hop of ‘BREAKBEAT’ brings out Planet’s inner Uffie playfully singing “I’ve got a pill in my pocket and I really wanna drop it”. One could argue that they lack depth lyrically, but who needs a deep meaningful conversation with a record this fun?
At their absolute best, they deliver pure unshackled euphoria – nothing illustrates this better than ‘SO WHAT’. Invoking the unstoppable power of the 2010’s recession pop era popularised by Pitbull and LMFAO, party platitudes like “baby no excuses tonight” and “everyday I’m wasted” carve out the perfect escapist club anthem. By now everyone knows the lead single ‘I CAN’T LOSE YOU’ an intoxicatingly catchy dance number that balances the sweetness of Janet and the rough edges of Sugar perfectly.
Despite showing no signs of slowing down, the title track ‘3AM (LA LA LA)’ certainly makes a good case for leaving the club. The atmospheric closer matches the energy of the title – all breathy interludes and post-dance introspection, it ends the party gracefully like a modern echo of Orbital classic ‘Halcyon On and On’. Like a pocket warehouse-rave, years of distilling the essence of the greatest club songs find Confidence Man bringing their own unique take to the table. It may not have a lot to say, but 3AM (LA LA LA) is a nostalgic fever-dream down the yellow brick road of dance music – ravers, follow their lead.
Words by Oliver Evans
