6/10

Throughout the run-up to their breakthrough debut album 'Confident Music For Confident People', Australian electro-pop outfit Confidence Man were treated as the next big thing to break into the pop world. With their distinctive brand of brash and witty material standing out as something altogether individual on the scene, the group quickly found a niche they could call their own and released a flurry of individual singles in the years since. But now they look to rebuild that momentum on their eagerly-awaited sophomore collection 'Tilt', a record that finds trouble rebuilding the buzz.

While still focusing on that fresh and upbeat direction they first pursued in their infancy, 'Tilt' just doesn't seem to have the same imagination as its predecessor. Resting their laurels on the traditional and glossy side of the piano-house sound, they have returned with a bright and uplifting party record that seems to lack much invention within its aesthetic. While they have still managed to maintain some solid hooks on this return, there seems to be too many moments that fall within the bland and conventional realm, something we thought Confidence Man were trying actively to avoid.

There are still some fun and enjoyable moments littered about here, but 'Tilt' seems a little out of sorts as to what it wants to be. The original Confidence Man sound seems bookended by middle of the road and run of the mill ideas that add far too much filler to a release that clearly wants to be something more than that.