Menage A Trois Australia Part 1

After a stunning appearance on Aficionado Recordings' unofficial RSD release last year, Ménage à Trois are back on wax, ready to break hearts all over again. The Mancunian ensemble, boasting a member of fellow Yacht groovers Los Porcos and Dream Lovers, tow their own line between new age, Balearic, R&B and yacht rock and this five track EP on French imprint Cracki sees them taking their sound further than ever before. Wandering through the surf, "Ocean Boy" finds Ryan, Craig and Joe laying tropical keys over airy pads and tumbling toms while Jonathan's emotive vocals float off into the sunset. The sultry vibe continues on "The Same Deep Water As Us" as pastoral chords, acoustic guitar and dextrous bass bend in the heat haze, locking us into a warm embrace before the brilliantly kitsch synth solo works its magic. Over on the flip, "Bad Boy At Sunset" distils 'Nebraska' era Springsteen through mid 90s R&B balladry and teen movie heartache, "Conditional Love" reappears in extended, expanded and improved form and the totes emosh "Message In A Bottle" closes the set in a Lewis meets Lynch clinch. Lay back and drift away.