Conor Adams and Lar Kaye are probably the most successful synthpop duo in Ireland. One album and 15 million streams later, and it’s difficult second album time.
Honing their sound to incorporate Afrobeat, but always coated in a highly accessible pop sheen, they now sound like an intelligent electronic pop version of Vampire Weekend and Passion Pit without the grating and naff bits.
They bound straight out of the traps with Hell of a Party and Build a Bridge. All Tvvins know their way around crafting a fully realised tune that’s catchy enough to get radio play but interesting enough to posit them as an alternative act, and both Adams and Kaye were in Cast of Cheers and Adebishi Shank. Just to Exist doesn’t always hit the sweet spot, but even when it doesn’t, it manages to be thoroughly pleasant.
Their lyrics and music were written with the view of creating an atmosphere rather than making a statement – or, as Adams says, “I wanted to convey the feeling when you’re driving out in the mountains with a summer evening sunset and anything seems possible”.
As the nights stretch into new possibilities, Just to Exist is certainly a good candidate for its soundtrack.
