IT’s dark, smoky and the fire alarm is ringing in my ears… a voice rings out through the haze, “This is an electronic act, and it’s hard to perform without power”.
Karin Park is on a cramped stage at The Scotch, London – all 6 foot three of her. Unfazed by the blackout, the seasoned singer sets the crowd the task of humming a harmony while her brother David on drums intones a rhythmic beat, and she goes on with the show. She is a formidable figure dressed in a rib cage-effect jacket topped with fur shoulders like armour.
“If you think it’s a bit odd you can’t see me, I can’t see you either,” she quips.
Swedish singer Karin might have four albums and two Norwegian Grammys under her belt but here in the UK she’s still a relative unknown.
Now that is all set to change as she’s releases her new album Highwire Poetry, out now.
Recorded with producers Barry Barnett and Christoffer Berg (Fever Ray, The Knife) the album explores Karinâs fascinations with spirituality, sexuality, power, love and hate. Removed from the world as a child living in a remote Swedish town, Karinâs deeply religious upbringing and experiences, including a three year stint in a Japanese missionary school, have provided her with a distance from reality, allowing us to see the world anew through her eyes on this album.
Karin, who released her debut EP Tiger Dreams last September (it’s brilliant), is also plugging a single that is also out now (buy buy buy) called Restless.
It’s been described it as Bjork singing Depeche Mode which sums her up pretty well.
Check out the video for Restless, below, and visit Karin’s website here and for UK tour dates go here.