First off, if you want the best descriptor of the PAAR sound then head over to their Bandcamp page now because after listening through Die Notwendigkeit der Notwendigkeit (Translated as “The Need for The Need” if you’re interested), they hit the nail on the head in that department. As for my two cents on their sound? Listening through the record is like listening through Pornography-era The Cure fronted by Siouxsie Sioux.
But I digress.
Munich’s PAAR delivers a veritable Electro tour-de-force that’s equally dark and dreamy which opener “Common Crimes” exemplifies as the track knocks it out of the park from the start with an anxiety-ridden climb to the top of a sonic roller coaster before plummeting into the unknown. Along the ride, listeners get all the twists and turns and similarly twangs and tweaks as beats as steady as a heartbeat hammer out pulsating new Electro hymnals.
The gorgeous “Beauty Needs Witness” saunters in next and is sultry yet mechanical and sounds like Rhianna fronting The Tubeway Army. Ly Nguyen exudes this seductive confidence of a seasoned veteran as her voice lures in listeners with her range and style. “Rework” is straight outta the ’80’s and positively glistens.
“Modern” succeeds as Rico Sperl and Matthias Zimmermann’s two-pronged guitar and bass attack bring an intensity and anticipation which leads to an ethereal end while “Pure” is driven by syncopated beats and Nguyen’s dreamy delivery amidst squealing guitars and galloping bass lines.
“Eis” is the best She Wants Revenge track never recorded and is essential modern Post-Punk listening in 2020 and further in, “Metal” is akin to The Raveonettes meeting The B-52’s in a Goth club and jamming out some wonderful ideas which escalate into a cornucopia of synthetic bliss to end the album on a truly high note.
Die Notwendigkeit der Notwendigkeit is out now and can be yours by clicking here. For the latest on PAAR, follow them on the interwebs by clicking here, here, and here.