In the spring of 2025, electronica duo Perpacity returned with an unexpectedly alternative sounding EP. Not only did some of the music from ‘Lille Flamme’ take on a slightly more angular sound than previous Perpacity tracks, but a decision to present the lyrics in Danish made everything a little more obtuse. Not that it was an entirely inaccessable release: at its best, the three numbers still showcased a musical unit who understood the need for a melody, even if those melodies were sometimes a little cold.

The follow up, ‘Let It Roll’, returns to more familiar territory, but still manages to share material that has a genuine spark. The title cut opens with a world of pulsing synth sounds, derived from an 80s synthpop deep cut, before branching out to include some bigger beats and a couple of Vangelis-like swirls. At the point where you feel you’ve got a handle on the melody, everything stretches out further to accommodate a strong pop-infused voice, creating a broader sound than anything on the prior EP. The mix of flowing vocal and rigid sounding music sets up a great contrast throughout, and with the help of a couple of nods to mid 80s Depeche Mode and a surprisingly user friendly chorus, this number quickly grows into something that’s much better than first impressions might suggest.

Changing the mood, ‘Rage’ opens with a soft melody that sounds like a synth pop riff augmented with guitar, before hitting the listener with a vocal melody and tempo that comes straight from the world of ‘Avalon’ era Roxy Music. Not that any other influence from Ferry and company should be sought: the musical backdrop is far more sparse, drawing influence again from the world of Martin L. Gore, crossed with a touch of Dave Ball. The music may be rigid and a little cold, but Perpacity make up for that by contrasting it with a huge vocal melody courstesy of Martin Nyrup on the chorus that allows for some subtly applied harmonies, and leaving enough room for a simple hook to push through, this track hits the listener right from the very first play. All three songs on this release are strong, but in terms of all round appeal – and catchy hooks – this is one of Perpacity’s best recordings to date. In some ways, it deserved to be the lead track here.

In closing, ‘This Is It’ feels a little darker. Following some ominous drones, Ian Harling drops into a semi-moody synth riff, allowing Martin plenty of room to share a fairly croony vocal. Again, there’s a tiny hint of Bryan Ferry dropping in unexpectedly, but everything shifts into something more “predictably” Perpacity on the chorus when more of an 80s synth pop core starts to dominate. For those who’ve followed the duo’s musical journey thus far, this probably won’t bring many musical surprises, but its marriage of harmony driven vocals, Human League-ish synths, and occasional sharper sounds should more than appeal to fans of the style. It’s the kind of arrangement where the dark pop of the chorus really shines after a few spins, and oddly, becomes another number that’s potentially superior to ‘Let It Roll’.

With a retro charm and a classic synth sound, these song show off Perpacity’s gifts for electro-pop with a relative ease. There are times where it’s occasionally hard to believe that such accessible electronica could come from the same minds as the previous EP’s spikier affairs, but therein lies the charm. Perpacity clearly aren’t working to a set remit; if the material comes with a commercial edge, then so be it. If it’s arty, then that’s cool too. Martin and Ian are happy to follow their muse wherever it takes them. Hopefully, their audience will be happy to take just as much of a freeflowing approach when listening. For lovers of retro synth sounds that are anything but bland or tired sounding, these three tracks are definitely worth an ear.

September 2025