Mock & Toof
Tuning Echoes
(Tiny Sticks/M&T Inc)

Mock & Toof are mainly known for their skills in producing and remixing. Having worked their magic with popular artists like Hot Chip, Friendly Fires, and The Scissor Sisters, they are no strangers to assembling tunes to get people moving on the dance floor. With that kind of background, it would be easy for the duo to make Tuning Echoes into a spiky instrumental album. Instead, Mock & Toof show off their skills by busying themselves not with how complicated their songs are but by playing with several basic segments like short surfer rock riffs, drum loops, and distant keyboards. Fans of mellow electronica or dance will easily be able to pick out a beat while indie kids will also be able to find joy in songs like “Farewell to Wendo” and “Shoeshine Boogie.” At times the drum machine does get to be monotonous, as many of the songs keep a similar pace or at least have related foundations. Clocking in at over an hour, the album feels a bit indulgent as the latter half of the album is much less engaging than the former. The notable exception of “Suppress Your Feelings,” one of the record’s highlights with its urgent sound and poignant lyrics about modern concerns like the oil industry. Even if you skip over a few tracks, you should definitely invest in this if you’re into groups like LCD Soundsystem.