Though you might not know their name, Caravan Palace has one of the most unique sounds in all of electronic music. They produce electroswing.

It’s disingenuous to place this 7-piece band into such a tight pigeonhole, however, their presence stateside – or lack thereof – has left many fans to categorize them solely by their musical sound from their first two albums. The group is French, and while outfits like Ed Banger Records have grown a considerable following worldwide, groups like Caravan Palace rarely get as much publicity internationally. Consequentially, the group has had a tough time telling their story.

Their first self-titled album and follow-up Panic were heavily influenced by this electroswing category, though the French ensemble has tried to branch out for their third record, the oddly titled < I°_°I >, stylized as Robot.

Robot attempts to break free of the shackles of their first two albums, carrying a more subdued and fluid rhythm and flow. The first track, “Lone Digger,” is my favorite on the album. Unfortunately, it sets a tone that is difficult for the rest of the album to keep up with. Its faster pace and true swing style are at odds with the rest of the album, and the subsequent tracks all feel like they’ve gone downhill. It’s a stylistic error at best in the tracklisting, but it rather detrimentally affects the rest of the album.