Confidence Man have a question for you: “Does it make you feel good?” For all those sweaty, occasionally desperate, nights you’ve spent out dancing, surely, something keeps bringing you back?
Maybe it’s getting to be free with your friends, the joy of your favourite song coming on, or perhaps that intangible pull towards the floor when a DJ really knows what they’re doing: that moment in a club when everything goes just right.
“Does it make you feel alive? Does it make you feel warm inside? Does it lift you up? Does it put you down? Does it take you back to a golden age, when we were brave and a new heaven was all around.”
Parading within a brand of dance pop that sounds like Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder gleefully discovering house music via Dee-lite, and building on a run of breakthrough singles, Confidence Man arrived properly with their debut Confident Music for Confident People.
Following a busy summer playing Glastonbury and festival after festival – all while preparing to go on tour with none other than New Order – the Australian four-piece (led by Janet Planet and Sugar Bones) are back with that same pointed, simple question & their latest single: ‘Does It Make You Feel Good’?
Propelled by a bouncy beat, a healthy helping of 90’s dance bop influence, and a seductive repeated vocal, the cut pulls ever forwards to an all out disco breakdown. Constantly swirling and building, the song manages to fit a full dancefloor jam session into 4 minutes and 50 seconds. By the time it’s through, the song’s titular question will feel like the only one worth asking.
The track comes with a striking music video treatment, shot in Berlin with long-time visual collaborators Schall and Schnabel. The band have always had a cult-like following, with people dressing like Janet Planet and Sugar Bones at shows, mimicking their every dance move. It was an easy next step to go with their version of religious ecstasy – hypnotisms, alters, rituals, levitation, lazer boobs and some cute animals for good measure.
With the ever greater push towards poptimism and emotional exploration in all areas of music, Confidence Man have no reason to be shy. They know what they’ve got on their hands, after all.
“Feelings are in right now and we’ve got some for you. Watch out, ‘cause the dance floor is wet with tears. Open up, and let us travel the waterslide deep into your heart.How does it make you feel? Does it make you feel good?”