Dance Lessons intrigued me by describing themselves as serrated pop. I’m not entirely sure what this means but, in reality, it’s a mash-up of jazz, soul, funk and pop into a zorbing ball of groove. Think Little Dragon, Rosin Murphy and Sault but with a soulful vocal delivery. The London-based trio bring so many different genres together that it’s risky business to make it all sound cohesive. Dance Lessons manage this easily but streamlining all their sound into an alt-pop aesthetic that borrows from modern-day production tricks as well as feeling very 1983.
Their double A single “Wet Batteries / I Like Lies” came out last week and solidifies all the promise Dance Lessons have. “Wet Batteries” takes a bassline like Bjork’s Army of Me and turns it into a jazzy version of Ultraista. Bombastic drums, funky bass, sassy breathy vocals and a saxophone that’s turned up ready to play Sade are all present. “I Like Lies” is far more slinky and subdued like a 2 am comedown. It’s got a smooth flow to its mid-tempo drum machines and thick synth drones underpinning a catchy chorus hook. I really enjoyed the single.
For more information on Dance Lessons, visit their Instagram.
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