Tanlines at The Lexington

If Brooklyn-based dance duo Tanlines were a cocktail, they would be a rum punch: a perfect mixture of tangy and sweet Caribbean flavour with a kick. The twosome, formed of multi-instrumentalist Jessie Cohen and guitarist and vocalist Eric Emm, gathered a buzzing crowd at The Lexington in Islington last Friday 18^th May with their unique concoction of rhythmic island beats, tranquil baritone vocals and twist of synthesised electric melodies. With their tropical sound and effortless cool, Tanlines’ warm and summery sound provides a welcome contrast to the cold outside.

Whilst the upbeat tracks will most certainly have you thinking about your tan lines, the name also illustrates the irony of “working with these warm, summer sounds indoors in a dark, windowless studio”. Though the tracks sound bright and cheery, a lot of the lyrics are actually pretty dark and melancholy. The balance between Cohen’s club drum beats and Emm’s rather soothing vocals sets Tanlines apart from comparisons to such bands as Vampire Weekend, giving their music a more complex quality.

Playing tracks such as All of Me and Real life, using an assortment of steel drums, bongos and mechanical elements, Tanlines generated a recycled 80s funky club Tropicana vibe transforming The Lexington into the Caribbean for the night.

Mya Joel
Photos: Marco Antonio Arias

Tanlines’s album Mixed Emotions is out now. For further information or future gigs visit the band’s website here. 

Listen to All of Me here: