Tieranniesaur Popical Island****

Those who keep an eye on the Irish indie pop family tree will probably have come across Tieranniesaur frontwoman Annie Tierney at some stage. Formerly one-third of next big kids Chicks, she’s a singer who has played a part in her brother Mick Pyro’s Republic Of Loose and is also currently a member of the Yeh Deadlies. But it’s Tierney’s role in this particular monster mash that interests us most.

This is an album that sounds like nothing else she’s had a hand, act or part in before and is all the better for coming so out of the blue. Tieranniesaur’s stock-in-trade is superb, leftfield, disco-not-disco pop.

Like Tom Tom Club or ESG when they were really motoring, it’s bright, breezy and sounds like it was a lot of fun to make. The grooves that power the enterprise are quick-witted, nimble and majestically funky in a slightly awkward if beguiling way. The songs are idiosyncratic and infectious, but contain big, hefty, bubblegum pop hooks which could land some whoppers. It’s quite a sweet deal.

The more you listen to what the now six-strong Tieranniesaur have produced, the more you're seduced. The opening Rockblockeris a slam-dunk that sounds like a dusty out-take from some recording session overseen by Liquid Liquid back in the day. Both Sketch!and Here Be Monstersare playful, giddy freak scenes which have a sassy allure and, in the case of the latter, give off a fine after-glow. I Don't Stopis also a firm keeper, growling its way into your affections with a tough-guy shimmy and shake.

Part of the charm is down to the unvarnished nature of the recordings. Yes, you could clean up some of the tracks and slap some make-up on others that are a little rough around the gills, but that would probably spoil the thrills a little.

Take this as the document of a bunch of little tieranniesaurs making merry in the wild and play it loud. See breakingtunes.com/tieranniesaur

Download tracks: Rockblocker, Sketch!, Here Be Monsters, I Don't Stop