Taking note of Toast Club’s genre-bending groove

Upon finishing my article last February on Toast Club, a band that I had just discovered through the superb single “Café Pacific” and their subsequent run of singles, I grew excited for a potential full-length project from the English band. “Lift,” Toast Club’s debut full length project, is an incredibly bright album that carries the momentum of their previous singles (many of which appear on this project as well). Jazz-rock has been an increasingly popular genre among some Gen Z-ers with ‘70s bands such as Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers receiving more attention from younger listeners. This phenomenon, along with the resurgence of the city-pop genre (a style of upbeat pop blending funk, disco and jazz, popular in Japan during the 1980s) has allowed Toast Club to create their brand of what they call “Aviation Pop,” which produces the feeling of jetting off to an exotic place filled with new and exciting experiences. Their promotional material also leaned into this aesthetic, with the band shooting clips at Heathrow Airport while playing in front of and inside a Boeing 747.

“Ascension Island” begins this project with a high energy romp which features a mostly instrumental (except for some “yeahs” and “uh huhs” by the guys) jam which feels like you’re taking off in a jet bound for a new and exciting location. The lead piano melody is incredibly infectious, and it sparkles like ocean waves on a sunny day over top of the energetic chord stabs. This cut immediately sets the tone for fun and bright listen, being a prelude to the windswept and tropical journey on which the guys are taking the listener.

“Caaalifornia” was the fifth and most recent single from this project and it continues the energy of the opening track. This cut is another instrument heavy track, which has a sturdy groove from the rhythm section laying the groundwork for the piano to provide a melody that helps evoke the image in my head of a vacation to San Francisco. A trip where the image of the giant blue waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the rocky shores of Stinson Beach beneath the swath of Redwood trees and mountains burned itself into the back of my mind. Needless to say, there is a reason this track has grown on me.

“Café Pacific” is the third track on this project and it’s still as great as when I first heard it (in fact I think I love it even more now). I assure you that this song will give you the feeling of a sun-soaked paradise or at least will make you tap your foot.

If the previous songs didn’t make you feel like you were ripping through the sky on a 737, “Alexandria” puts the subtext into text. The airy vocals and lyrics almost read like a travel ad, “If you dream of natural highs, go online and be surprised, so many flights, compare the price” and give the allure of whatever lies in an unfamiliar and exciting new place just a plane ride away. The airy intro then gives way for a punchy and sturdy drum groove with colorful and robust chords from the piano creating a feeling of glee and jubilation.

Many clips for their live shows at The Windmill in London after the release of “Lift” have surfaced on social media and they take the energy of their recorded material to new heights. I feel that “Caaalifornia” and “Café Pacific” in particular have tighter and livelier grooves in a live setting, and the guys really get the chance to jam and develop the already strong bases that these respective compositions provide. I hope that they tour stateside soon so that I can catch one of their sets in person.

In the meantime, “Lift” is a tight and concise 37 minutes that provides a fresh take on the sounds of the past while being an absolutely euphoric experience throughout. As the looming prospect of a brutal Minnesota winter is slowly brooding in on us, consider this piece of sunny joy that will provide at least a little bit of warmth and might even make you feel as if you’re jetting off to a tropical paradise.