The sweet bubbly voice of Sally Shapiro is not that of a Long Island diva hitting the New York club scene, but that of an unknown Swedish singer who uses the pseudonym Sally Shapiro to release some of the catchiest neo-disco on any side of the Atlantic. But she is not a one-person gig. Along for the ride is producer Johan Agebjörn who helps craft the tuneful excursions.
Sally Shapiro’s debut record was a dance floor smash and drew raves from the indie music press. With the follow-up, My Guilty Pleasure, she continues to press forward, eschewing the harder disco sound in favor of a blend of pure 80s synth-pop and house music.
The songs are as memorable as before. “My Fantasy” is an immediate standout; a trance-like beat and a simple melody line propelling her effortless vocals. “Save Your Love’ is straight out of the 80s, starting with a Yaz-inspired keyboard riff and continuing through the over-produced chorus so indicative of the decade. “Dying in Africa” is a strong techno/chill track, with wispy vocals and a light percussive drone.
And the 80s hits keep on coming. The record closes with “Miracle”, whose chorus melody echoes the Bananarama hit “I Heard A Rumor”. Shapiro is not afraid to step outside the dance music confines either. The opener is “Swimming to the Blue Lagoon”, a purely ambient instrumental that is distinct from the rest of the songs and a refreshingly unconventional way to open the record.
My Guilty Pleasure avoids the sophomore slump and puts Sally Shapiro on the path to synth-pop stardom.
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Article comments
1 - Jeremy Larsen
Sally Shapiro is amazing! I love every song that's ever come out. True artists in my humble opinion. Why can't the USA play her on the radio? She's better then most of the stuff on the radio. People need to know about Sally Shapiro!