Pipas - A Short Film About Sleeping

by Laura Branch

published: 12 / 3 / 2002

Label: Matinee Recordings
Format: 7"

"Sophisticated" debut release on Matinee label by new London girl/boy duo Pipas

Review

Pipas are apparently a London girl / boy duo who sound decidedly American and present us with their quietly out of kilter indie pop on this, their debut 7” for Matinee. They sound naturally sophisticated and nonchalant, yet without pretensions making for endearingly rough around the edges pop. The comparisons, that they have drawn to Club 8, La Buena Vida and the like, seem to apply most specifically to the opening track,'A Short Film About Sleeping', which has that that fuzzy, first-thing-in-the morning, feel about it. Subdued vocals and muffled, cute sounding synths predominate until the song gradually unfurls and comes to life after the passing of a regenerative cup of coffee. The girly-girl vocals of front woman Lupe fuse and diverge at ease with the strong male vocals and ba-ba-ba-ing. And although at first sight, I can understand how this might seem like yet more saccharine, girl / boy, jingly jangly, ba-ba-ba laden indie pop, it sounds good, and that’s all that matters. Their naturalness is conveyed further on the following two tracks, 'Troublesome' and 'Fingerprints', where they continue to sound laid back yet sincere, and seemingly ever so slightly out of tune. Pipas: inherently cool yet warm and cuddly. You’ll want to be best friends with them.