Permer
Summerdays Attract the Pain
Hidden Agenda / Parasol
Smooth and stylish electro-pop from Martin Permer, half of Sweden’s mildly successful Waltz For Debbie. This is his first solo album, and a remarkably solid one at that. Permer moves in the terrain usually occupied by St. Etienne and Pet Shop Boys and if he lacks some of the complete abandonment and irreverent debauchery of those bands, he still delivers light-hearted and fun pop, served with wit and charm. The title track is great, a lovely soundtrack for the late summer evenings. “Sarah” is more than a little reminiscent of Soft Cell’s huge synth-drenched ballads, while “Sleeping in Your Parent’s Bed” is a subtle and melancholic track that proves to be the album’s most impressive moment. All that, and not a vocoder in sight! Respect.
Parasol Records: http://www.parasol.com
