Released: July 22
Bananarama serve slick electro pop on their stellar 12th studio album ‘Masquerade’.
Coinciding with the group’s 40th anniversary, the new album was originally conceived as an EP but, as the pair continued writing tracks, swiftly became their latest long player.
Of the concept behind LP and its title track, Sara Dallin says: “When I was in lockdown, there were a lot of conversations happening to do with inclusivity, diversity and gender and racial equality.
“That kind of led to this idea of ‘masquerade’: how you present yourself in different ways depending on the situation, but really, you just want people to live how they want to live.”
‘You are living a masquerade / Don’t let the stardust fade away / ‘Cause you can be who you want to be’, they sing on the record’s lead single, while the shimmering Stay Wild is an anthem for living an authentic life: ‘Stay wild, stay wild and free / You are evergreen’
Not only present in the lyrics, it’s a notion that applies to the sound of the album, which picks up where the duo’s 2005 LP ‘Drama’ – a personal favourite of Sara and Keren’s – left off, with producer Ian Masterson leaning into an ‘80s-inspired soundscape across its tracks.
Opening with taster single Favourite – co-written by Sara’s daughter, singer-songwriter Alice D, and Oscar Scheller – it sets the tone for the record, combining electronic European pop sounds with Bananarama’s trademark stomping anthems.
Elsewhere on the album, the pair deliver moody, sweeping vocals on atmospheric cuts like Velvet Lies and Running With The Night, while they lean into disco influences on Bad Love, a riot of a track sure to erupt when performed during Bananarama’s summer dates.
Ahead of their return to the stage, it seems Sara and Keren have readied an LP of wall-to-wall, singalong anthems, set to breathe new life into their live shows while sitting alongside their trademark brand of carefree pop classics.
Speaking of which, Brand New is an empowering shout-out to an ex that’s brimming with sass and bursting with brilliant lines like: ‘Wish that I could see your reaction / When you call my phone you will get the busy tone.’
An immediate highlight and one of the most poignant moments on the LP is Forever Young; a storming, ‘80s-inspired number celebrating Sara and Keren’s long standing friendship that embodies the essence of the group and will undoubtedly become an anthem for their 40th anniversary and beyond.
Their connection is evident across the pair’s latest offering and, when it comes to album closer Waiting For The Sun To Shine, they demand you give in to the music and embrace life wholeheartedly.
‘The world is waiting, open up your eyes / The world is waiting for the sun to shine / And each day will bring something new / On the horizon,’ they promise, offering a welcome reminder that, as long as Bananarama are around and doing what they do best, the world feels a little bit better.
Four decades into their career, Bananarama have delivered one of their strongest albums yet and, if ‘Masquerade’ is anything to go by, they have plenty more music left in them!
‘Masquerade’ is available now.
