Sparse arrangements engender huge senses of space and feeling, story and song. For the most part drum machine, single synth and voice, Action Biker‘s Hesperian Puisto is a lovely afternoon in the park (and, indeed, Hesperian Puisto is a park in Helsinki, near where Sarah once lived), but always with city twilight lurking at its edges, as one shares stories of one’s grocery store (“ICA Lappis”) or last night’s experience with one’s refrigerator (“Refridgerator”).
The album begins with rumbling electronic tribal percussion. Then halfway through “Intro” a lovely melodic figure – deep shades of autumn and perfectly round – joins the flow, emphasizing what I love about her synth lines as it bounces long over the spectrum, taking in notes of great distance and plenty of what’s in between. This what-lies-betweenness extends to the whole album, punctuated as it is by lovely short instrumental pieces. First song proper is the deliciously melancholic “Love For Sure”, chastising an underappreciative lover. Next up is a dreamily lazy rendition of the old Fred Astaire number “By Myself”. Other highlights include the title track, reminding one of when Saint Etienne wanders into the realm of Broadcast, and the beautifully bubbly “Frosty Snow Winter”.
Another shimmering example of those darkly playful melodies comes with “Tears With You Tears Without”, the gorgeously aching b-side to the Hesperian Puisto 7” released in August 2010 by Destination Pop. All this seems both miles away and yet the etheric counterpart of the upbeat and major-key (though still insanely catchy) synthpop Sarah was making when I first heard her in 2003 at the Strange Fruit Festival. Early favourites being the adorably satirical “Smash Hit Producer” from her Elephant & Castle 7” (on WIAIWYA) and the lovely romantic reminiscence of “Farrah”.
Action Biker releases may be few and far between, though Sarah has also been busy collaborating with él Records veteran Kevin Wright as The Dreamers, whose “Day For Night” album is a pop delight, as well as Kissing Mirrors and Lars Blek, all of which are well worth seeking out. And she’s playing in London on Saturday July 16th at Zigfrid von Underbelly as part of the Librarians Wanted night with The Sunny Street and one of my favourite new bands, Paisley & Charlie.
