El Perro Del Mar - Pale Fire

Diesen Freitag erscheint "Pale Fire", das vierte Album von El Perro Del Mar:

Seit drei Jahre, um genauer zu sein seit "Love Is Not Pop", haben wir nichts mehr von Sarah Assbring gehört. In diesen drei Jahren hat sich einiges verändert rund um ihrer Projekt El Perro Del Mar: Bisher war Frau Assbring immer selbst auf ihren schwarz und weiß gehaltenen Plattencovern zu sehen und zu hören gab es melancholischen, zerbrechlichen LoFi-Indiepop. Nun fehlt die Schwedin auf der Plattenhülle, diese ist plötzlich bunt und innen pluckern die Beats und dominieren die synthetischen Klänge zwischen House, Trip Hop, Elektropop und Downbeat. 

So nah war sie klanglich noch nie an Lykke Li (mit der sie auf Tour war  und eine gemeinsame Split-Single veröffentlichte) - und diese hatte ihren größten Erfolg ja auch mit einem Remix... Solche, zum Beispiel von Saint Etienne, gibt es auch auf der Soundcloud-Seite von El Perro Del Mar zu entdecken.  

Sarah Assbring erklärt die Veränderungen in einem Interview mit In The Line Of Best Fit wie folgt:

Most importantly I think I’ve been trying to free my mind, to move as seamlessly as possible between whatever genres, to try and create something that feels and sounds unique. In the past I’ve been quite controlling in the way that I work and record, so forcing myself to be freer has been a challenge.

Well, the last two years I’ve been very much into dance music, like old school house and chicago house especially. I think I’ve also been drawn to instrumental music in a stronger sense this time. This album represents me completely where I am today and what I’ve been going through these past two years. My first album represented my life then in the exact same way. In my life as well as musically my fuel is that I’m never fully satisfied, never completely happy. I have to move on, I have to keep looking. To me it’s the purpose of everything and what inspires me to keep going.

This set’s translucent synths, gently gliding beats and all-encompassing aural haze makes Everything but the Girl’s similarly pale fire sound bonfire-like in comparison. The title Pale Fire comes from Assbring’s observation that, when life’s been a bit, you know, rubbish, and lonely, the promise of love and hope is, “a flickering light… a pale fire”.

So she’s not going to be coming on all foghorn Florence any time soon, nor channelling the more combative style of her compatriots Fever Ray or Lykke Li. Hers is more of a shivery presence, like moonlight on flesh. For example, the main instrumental drive of Walk on By (no, not that one) comes from the melodica, as wistful and unassuming instrument that was ever invented.

Occasionally, Assbring might be advised to break sweat, or maybe even break down, such as taking the occasional moans of To the Beat of a Dying World to a more gripping locale. It’s less for the commercial ramifications than a change of mood. In the case of the reggae-like Love in Vain, El Perro del Mar might conceivably mean “The Dog That Blew Away”.  

No matter, because Pale Fire is a pale beauty, and if you’re seeking the chill-out Lykke Li (with whom she split a single in 2009) or an equivalent oasis of smouldering calm, Assbring will see you right.

(BBC)

 Walk On By (radio edit) by El Perro Del Mar 

 Hold Off The Dawn (Radio Edit) by El Perro Del Mar 

El Perro Del Mar in Deutschland:

15.11.12 Hamburg, Turmzimmer (Übel & Gefährlich)
16.11.12 Berlin, HBC