Striding out of Connecticut, The Stepkids take the snazziness of ’70s funk and soul and give it a mulchy, Ariel Pink-like makeover. The trio’s fine disco stomp – all crunchy bass lines and giddy falsettos – avoids pastiche by also being a bit bonkers (is that a kazoo we hear on ‘Santos And Ken’? Madness!). The album’s slight at eight songs (discounting the naff, soundscapey intro and outro), but like all good party hosts, The Stepkids don’t overdo it. They’ve pulled a neat trick here; ‘The Stepkids’ is both innovative and retro, without a hint of irony.

Jordan Bassett