Outfit - Performance

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 2 / 9 / 2013

Label: Double Denim
Format: CD

Indifferent and sluggish debut album from much hyped Liverpudlian electronic act, Outfit

Review

Time-consuming yet agile new wave electronica loungers, Outfit have moved down to London from Liverpool and - such surprise - they now sound tame and predictable now. Noodling M25 nothingness nonetheless, downbeat and quirky tracks like 'Ichinchilla' seem like aeons ago. Outfit perform a sequence of passable tracks, but all things relative the first highlight is the fourth song and title track 'Performance', which is of the quality as one of Steve Mason's lesser tracks. After it they continue to drift on in the same dreamy mode. The next sign of anything challenging comes with the opening chords of the sixth track 'Elephant Days', but all too soon to anyone's ears comes the breezing chorus and the popping bassline. As with so many, and way too many acts from Britain these days, they shoot off and spend their best ideas on the first 10, 20 or 30 seconds, only to then go on and on, and on, heading for merry oblivion. 'Thank God I Was Dreaming' is very Ricardo Autobahn (of Cuban Boys fame), yet the track lacks both the drive of house music, and lyrical content or melodic flow. This dire album now could be best captured in one word as "indifferent". A waste of time, and a waste of effort.

Track Listing:-

1 Nothing Big
2 I Want What's Best
3 House on Fire
4 Performance
5 Spraypaint
6 Elephant Days
7 Phone Ghost
8 Thank God I Was Dreaming
9 The Great Outdoors
10 Two Islands