Review: Sälen – ‘Copper Kiss’

Googling the title will give you a distinct and horrifying idea of what Sälen’s latest synthpop offering is all about, however it continues with the traditions from previous singles (‘IILWMBF,’ ‘Diseasey,’ ‘The Drwg’) that has seen the London trio draw wide acclaim. A silky synthpop backing comprising a mixture of instruments mashed with a strong bass undertone is complemented fantastically by the high-pitched harmonising vocal tones of Ellie Kamio. This tactic, ever-present in Sälen’s work, is to contrast this upbeat pop with a mixture of not necessarily sombre but certainly bizarre lyrics that are fascinating and dark in equal measure.

The hook (“Pour your metal in my mouth / Lick my lips and taste yourself / Let me roll your blood on my tongue”) particularly stands out – never before have such words been heard in a pop song, especially in such an apathetic tone, bringing in obvious comparisons to bands such as The Smiths. This nonchalance extends to the video, which features shots of lead singer Kamio staring straight down the camera and singing the straight-to-the-point lyrics with an array of jungle creatures around her. With a new form of synthpop that works so well at enticing you in, all you have to do is listen to their three other latest releases for it to be clear that Sälen has found their niche, and indeed they are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

‘Copper Kiss’ is out now via Island Records