Sally Shapiro's debut, DISCO ROMANCE, draws heavily on Italo-disco on its sound, because the 80s weren't long enough for a good decade. But their tracks have a joyousness to them, all supported by the lead singer's airy vocals, from the "I'll Be By Your Side" to the more upbeat "I Know." She glides through the intra-song key-changes with Scandinavian grace, adept at the French spoken-word opening of "Time to Let Go" and speedy rhythm of "He Keeps Me Alive" both. "Jackie Jackie (Spend This Winter With Me)" adds a more 60s pop spin to the track, while the final track, "Sleep in My Arms," takes a more ambient path. A fun album, to be sure.

The debut full-length from Sally Shapiro is something to behold. K-Dub christened it “winter pop” and I rather like that term! Trance﷓like and deceptively upbeat, this is an astoundingly palatable blend of Italo/post-disco and European electro-pop (maybe like Saint Etienne or Pizzicato Five, sans the overt kitsch) tightly wrapped in a protective cocoon of nostalgia and melancholy. Watch the video for ‘Jackie’ and the picture is suddenly complete: solitude is a security blanket, hopeful longing is celebrated, “How come I don’t fall in love with normal people, and how come normal people don’t fall in love with me? I don’t think I’m that strange…do you think I’m strange?” Fittingly, an air of mystery surrounds this Swedish outfit. For all intents and purposes, Sally Shapiro is a persona invented by Johan Agebjorn, the principal writer, musician and producer… the singer’s real name is a tightly guarded secret. Gimmicky for sure, but don’t let it be offputting. What’s up with the teary-eyed dancefloor? and Why are all the clubgoers staying home tonight with their photo albums and fireplaces? The cold, rainy-day synths of “Disco Romance” may very well answer both of these hypothetical questions.