Swedish synthpop duo Sally Shapiro (the duo of Sally Shapiro and Johan Agebj rn) announce a new 12" 'Rent' co-
mixed by Johnny Jewel, which is out Sept 20th digitally & Oct 6th physically via Italians Do It Better and have shared title-track,
covering Pet Shop Boys, online now.
On the single, Johan offered "I am a longtime fan of Pet Shop Boys and have been thinking from time to time about covering some
PSB song, without any clear idea of how to do it. Suddenly it became apparent that the melancholic and painfully beautiful harmonies
of 'Rent' would suit our style perfectly, and I started playing a synth line over the chorus."
Johnny Jewel added "Sally Shapiro's cover of this Pet Shop Boys classic keeps the original close to the heart. Emphasizing the
baroque leanings of the chord progression, they take it further with a 16th note melody careening over icy pads. The result is a
Synthwave skyline scraping the upper atmosphere in the never-ending race to survive the first of the month. It's a twisted tale of the
politics of economy in relationships where the currency is love. Sally's crystalline coo glides over Johan's elegant Italo production as
the bass line anchors the galloping rhythm section. Home is where the heart is...but shelter comes first in this game of love."
Sally added "We also think the lyrics to Rent are intriguing, how the singer - in our version, a mistress - tries to convince herself that
she's happy, while the melancholy shines through. Pet Shop Boys is also very much childhood nostalgia for me."
Johan was a member of the Pet Shop Boys Club as a child, and even got a penpal request published in the official fanclub magazine
in 1993. Johan said "I received numerous answers! I had a pretty long correspondence with a fan from the UK."
