Sally Shapiro bring dark undertones to their italo disco sound on Sad Cities

As the opener "Forget About You" reveals, Sad Cities is not a bad attempt at nostalgia but rather a comeback worth listening to. With modern influences seeped in melancholy – the progression of the album sees Sally Shapiro start off from 2013's Elsewhere, ready to continue their natural evolution.

The combination of euro-pop, sad-rock, and soft electronic touches are what is best palpable in their latest effort. Therefore, making the record a perfect fit for long strolls, lounging around in your living room while watching the raindrops cluster and the trees swaying back and forth. Sad Cities excels in “Believe In Me”, “Dulcinea” and “Christmas Escape”. Yet its titular track assures the listener that brightness can also be found in the dread of existence, and as the up-beat baseline is guiding your way to some form of the mundane but slightly magical happiness that lives in the seams of every place.

Fifteen years after their debut song was put online, the italo disco/synthpop duo is still luring in listeners with their version of the disco romance revival. Yet, this time around, Sad Cities has taken away the novelty that their first releases possessed and has given it a rather dark undertone, one that shows that Sally Shapiro still understands how to surprise their fans. As this elusive record gets introduced this new world, one that is dominated by streaming platforms, because yes, they already existed in 2013, but hadn’t reached its full potential yet, Sad Cities has proved that it can hold its own, and even allows the long-time follower to dwell in times past.