Sex & Food is an oddity in that it represents a step forward for Unknown Mortal Orchestra and a simultaneous move backward. A description which, admittedly, makes it sound a bit like they've stumbled and fallen flat on their ass.
They have not. Under the steady guidance of UMO's main man, Ruban Nielson, the band instead prove themselves rock steady and firm-footed. Even as they retreat from the crowd-pleasing, shiny glow of previous album Multi-Love and back into the lo-fi roots of their first two records.
The funk grooves and late 70s stylistic tics remain, but UMO have let that disco-ready sheen get wet and mouldy.
Take How Many Zeros as a prime example. Kicking off with a Billie Jean-style beat, it then floats away on a cloud of muted jazzy chords and a clipped falsetto. Similarly, Not in Love We're Just High and The Internet of Love (That Way) both could have been freshly excavated from Prince's famed vault, dust and all.
But where UMO once funked, they now rock. As with disco, Nielson's reference points remain blissfully rooted in the 70s.
