The lighting is dim. A baby grand sits in the corner, untouched. A waiter, a short man with a 60s quiff, comb lines still vivid, pours your next Martini. There's music playing but at first you ignore it. After the fourth cocktail you've scared the strangers away with your wry remarks and boisterous behaviour, the music becomes your companion. It hits you finally and you realise the soundtrack to this evening of drunkenness and tomfoolery is not lounge music as you are used to. This is lounge music on steroids. This is 21st Century pop lounge.
Arctic Monkeys' Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino transported fans to the moon, using playful piano and splashes of guitar a top a gentle drum beats to create a lounge feel. Opening track, 'Star Treatment' even refers to a lounge band's front man drowning in Martinis after another miserable night performing to noone.
Meanwhile new kids on the block, Matt Maltese and Tamino have brought lounge back into fashion. Their dark, dry lyricisms matched with an upbeat cha-cha-cha feel reminiscent of suburban 1960 is attracting a rather large crowd. The smooth crooners, influenced more by Frank Sinatra than the Britpop boys that have dominated the 21st Century, are setting new standards and demonstrating that angsty guitar music isn't the only way to protest these dark times, that lounge sounds are good enough. The lounge revolution is a welcome addition to the modern day music scene, and it's definitely on trend right now.
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