Los Angeles art punk quartet French Vanilla wrapped sociopolitical threads in high-impact dance grooves on their 2017 self-titled debut. With sophomore album How Am I Not Myself?, they raise the bar on both songcraft and production, sharpening their sound on ten tracks rife with tension, energy, and unhinged fun. The group follows a long line of dance-oriented punk bands, with immediate reference points like X-Ray Spex, Suburban Lawns, Essential Logic, and the Waitresses as well as more recent contemporaries like Downtown Boys. Much of this is due to Daniel Trautfield's prominently featured saxophone playing, which works in tandem with Ali Day's liquid bass lines and Greg Shilton's drumming to create high-energy instrumentals similar to the best of the funky post-punk cannon. Vocalist Sally Spitz is at the center of this style as well, blending subtle techniques from Pylon, the B-52s, and others in with her own spirited vocalizations. French Vanilla evoke both buzzy claustrophobia and open, airy punk-funk, moving from the spacious ESG-styled album opener "Real or Not" to more amped-up songs like "Protective." Slinky grooves like "Suddenly" and "All the Time" sound modeled for sweaty dancefloors, with lyrics about nervous crushes and anxious nights out. Sharp social critique also shows up on occasion, with jabs at sexist culture and microaggressions on "Bromosapien." Expanded production highlights the band's razor-sharp playing and smart reworking of the more exciting and lively side of post-punk. Never drab, How Am I Not Myself? sounds like a party even when railing against outdated societal norms or describing a panic attack.