The audience know Parralox’s name from their red-hot remix of Erasure’s recent “Reason” single, and there are both long-time and new fans pressed against the barrier in front of the stage. The next song, “Black Jeans,” moves into glam stomp territory, and vocalist Johanna turns the girl power dial up a notch with a confident and dynamic rendition of the classic from Parralox’s first album, Electricity. The straight boys in the audience start getting their cameras out, too, and the glow of screens held aloft starts to add to the atmosphere. The normally aloof London audience begins to feel its way towards the rhythm, which has a comfortable familiarity.
Guest vocalist Francine, who featured on recent single, “Crying on the Dancefloor,” rounds out the sound with magical touches on Parralox originals like “Sharper than a Knife” and “Hotter.” The surprise addition of “Aeronaut,” Parralox’s next single, which is due for release in early 2015, raises the crowd’s collective pulse even higher. The cold outside is long forgotten when the set reaches its end, and for Parralox the connection has been made.
Good luck and Happy Synthmas from Cold War Night Life!