SALLY SHAPIRO

Sad Cities (Italians Do It Better)

Sally Shapiro split apart six years ago. 

I should clarify that Sally Shapiro were a band, featuring Johan Agebjörn and, yes, Sally Shapiro. But now, the elusive synthpop-slash-Italo disco duo from Sweden have put aside their musical differences and are back with Sad Cities, their fifth studio album.

Was it worth the wait? It’s hard to say. Where it could be argued that when they first emerged in 2007 there weren’t many acts harking back to the mid-80s club sound, following the collapse of electroclash, the rise of vaporwave and synthwave means this is now a crowded field. Admittedly, not many of these acts have the sweet Saint Etienne-style vocals as Sally Shapiro does, nor the glacé melodies found throughout Sad Cities. Yet nothing really stands out here, aside from the piano-house of Million Ways.

Ultimately, Sad Cities is a highly polished electropop album that will please long-term fans; listeners coming for something new may want to go elsewhere.  

words SAM EASTERBROOK