Credited with bringing back the “fun” and the “sexy” within a retro sound, Pink Stiletto’s 2024 EP ‘New Wava’ presented four mechanical sounding bangers that drew influence from a world of synth pop and new wave and occasionally added basslines that sounded more like they belonged on a synth-goth record. The managerie of sound created something so lovingly indebted to the past, it became instantly loveable, despite sharing a rather cold edge.

A year on, the two tracks that make up the ‘Do It For Me’ release share just as much retro love, but add even more of a mechanical edge in places. From the moment the title cut opens with a huge, synth sound that echoes a straight to video score for a sci-fi/action movie from 1986, Valery Kvotchkova has the audience in the palm of her hand. Bringing in a hard edged, pulsing rhythm, the audience is pulled further into a retro-futurist world where synthwave epicness collides with a danceble groove. This sets up a perfect base for a selection of sharp sounding notes that weave in and out of an unwavering rhythm, and although the music remains a dominant force throughout, there’s something really impressive about a slightly filtered, slightly aloof vocal where Valery delivers the featured lyric in a rather lax fashion. The juxtaposition between vaguely breathy tones and absolutely cold sounds helps to build something very distinctive. Pay attention a litter close, and things sound even better once you spot that the lyric borrows various phrases from The Stranglers’ rather threatening deep cut ‘Do You Wanna?’ from 1978 and reworks them into a landscape that’s weirdly alluring. Closing with a brief instrumental passage where harder synth bleeps present analogue sounds that aren’t a million miles away from the Depeche Mode debut, there’s so much coolness seeping through this track – it could easily be one of Pink Stiletto’s best offerings.

Joining that genuinely excellent track, ‘Amour Finale’ is similarly cold, but a little choppier. Initially, the hard beats and deep synth blasts recall a couple of cuts from Soft Cell’s massively influential ‘Non Stop Erotic Cabaret’ – sounding even more poignant with this recording being released just two days after Dave Ball’s passing – but Valery’s spikier vocal and a few retro, sci-fi inspired sounds quickly twist this number into something quite different. The glitchy rhythm almost gives the air of being in some Eastern Bloc disco, and that suits the Euro vocal perfectly, but if anything sticks from this all too brief workout, it’s likely to be the blanket of wavering synths that contrast the more melodic elements, adding a great, slightly darker feel to Pink Stilleto’s alternative sound. It might take a little longer to appreciate than ‘Do It For Me’, but there’s still plenty to love within these two minutes.

With two near perfect tracks, this release supplies enough of a taste of Pink Stilleto’s analogue drenched world of electronica, but isn’t enough for the listener to be fully absorbed in the way they truly deserve. Nevertheless, lovers of 80s sounds, synth pop, keyboard dominated new wave and the retro elements of Euro coldwave should seek this out immediately. Although originality mightn’t be the biggest concern here, the music is first rate, and Valery’s gift for transplanting her audience from the everyday and into a world of her own making is second to none. A highly recommended listen.

October 2025