People Street Sony Ireland***

It's not the most obvious of collaborative partnerships, but when you learn that The Kanyu Tree and Ali Shaheed Muhammad bonded over a mutual love of Steely Dan, their alliance makes a lot more sense. The man from A Tribe Called Quest co-produced the fraternal Galway trio's debut album. Instead of hip-hop innovation, there's a fulsome streak of glossy 1980s pop running through People Street.Some may deem the lads' homage to the past a guilty pleasure, but the hi-fi feel of songs such as the Hall & Oates-aping Congratulationsis gleefully satisfying, while the brisk jangle of Shelf Lifeis straight from the soundtrack of a John Hughes movie. So what if one or two tracks teeter dangerously close to Michael McDonald territory? Passé pop has never sounded so modern. See thekanyutree.com

Download tracks: Slow, Congratulations