Beginning with warm, throbbing synths and a fleeting squiggly synth lead, “With Out You” doesn’t take long to establish LIF’s nostalgic ’80s vibe. When the vocals kick in, they reveal and distant and slightly melancholic tone, but one that’s adept at moving to the more funk-laden rhythms. It’s wonderfully akin to acts like Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who integrate the more funk-alicious elements of vintage synth-pop. LIF is spot on when they describe their sound as including “funky grooves, analog nostalgia, upbeat synths, flang-y guitars and catchy vocal hooks.” The chillwave genre was partly responsible for bringing back more funk-laden sounds to today’s indie electronic music, and “With Out You” is one of the more consuming standouts in that style I’ve heard lately. It’s a fantastic track from this group out of Sydney, Australia, comprised of Felipe Cea (vocals, guitar, songwriting) Ardie Worsley (drums) and Erol Cimen (bass).
