They say nothing good happens after 3 a.m. But something great definitely happens at the stroke of midnight — Australian duo Cosmo’s Midnight’s joyful new album, “Stop Thinking and Start Feeling.” Their third full-length aims to get audiences to turn off their inner self-nag and surrender to the magic of reinvented EDM disco funk.
And what a successful endeavor that is: “Stop Thinking and Start Feeling” is a certified party playlist banger.
EDM is a bit of a misnomer for their genre, as the music leans into something more closely resembling playful, electronic funk — you can hear influences that include Daft Punk (especially in the impossibly groovy “Telephone”) and Nile Rodgers and his group Chic.
Cosmo’s Midnight, made up of twins Cosmo and Patrick Liney, have been toiling away at their craft since 2012. They’ve been working on this particular album for three years; it was born as a post-pandemic meditation and release. The band travelled to London, the U.S. and Australia to work on the album, where they found artistic kindred spirits in the form of an eclectic list of collaborators.
“Bang My Line,” featuring Tkay Maidza, adds a little rap into their groove mix, while “Gimmie Some More,” featuring Zimbabwean-American artist Shungudzo, brings cute beats. “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)” introduces island bird sounds and the party spills onto the dance floor. From “Fantasy” featuring dance-pop duo Franc Moody to “Borrowed Time” with Aussie singer-songwriter Forest Claudette, there’s a throughline of catchy funk, modern disco, retrofitted EDM and everything sexy in between.
If the third time’s a charm, with this studio album, the band might be onto something — and here’s hoping it brings musical recognition outside Australia. Maybe everyone can all learn to relax and start feeling the rhythm, just like Cosmo’s Midnight.
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