If the New Wave and post-punk gods dropped acid and threw a party in a vintage record store, they’d probably end up sounding something like Pink Stiletto. With a sound that’s as eclectic and avant-garde as ZE Records on a sugar rush, this band is all about merging the glitzy allure of disco with the gritty punch of punk, all while throwing in a good measure of funk’s groove, the kitschy charm of obscure European vinyl, 1980s Saturday morning cartoon antics, and the peculiar quirks of New Wave. Pink Stiletto echoes the creative spirit of downtown New York, with a nod to icons like Gina X, Tubeway Army, Taxi Girl, and Cristina.
Meanwhile, Pink Stiletto mastermind Valery Kvochkova’s latest bop, Ice Eyes, feels like a love letter to French New Wave and Neo-Noir cinema, sung in a sultry mix of French and English and draped over an infectious groove. Ice Eyes has a dark side, however, as it delves into the chilly void left by lost love, evoking a haunting sensation of rejection and sorrow. Its name captures the frosty, lifeless stare of a once-warm gaze, lingering hauntingly in one’s vision at night, a relentless reminder of what’s been lost.
This song also features an alien-sounding experimental guitar by Miguel (Kontrol Inc), with harmonized noise wailing waves dripped in phaser and chorus. Jimmy Bronson (Protocultura) played the drum machine DX smasher kick and snare. Kvochkova paid homage to the French new wave band Opera De Nuit, whose music and poetry helped her a lot through dark times.
“For me, love-ache was always reflected so well in the French New Wave/Noir movies,” she says. “I wanted to bring a modern yet classic post-punk twist to it….Daniel Ash and Rowland Howard always on back of my head when it comes to lyrics. Especially raw delivery. It was all about the feelings for them. They weren’t afraid to speak up about deep stuff you know. And this song was a purging moment for me emotionally.”
The video and artwork for Ice Eyes are a vibrant clash of Liquid Sky’s psychedelic visuals and the Misfits’ punk rock rawness, creating a captivating aesthetic. Art direction, styling, costumes, and props were masterfully handled by Elias Martinez and Orchid Taylor, who chose to shoot the project on VHS and edit using a visual synthesizer. This choice imbues the footage with a gritty, live glitching effect that mirrors the raw emotion and nostalgic edginess of the song, enhancing its impact by visually echoing its themes of haunting loss and icy detachment.
So, lace up your dancing shoes—or hey, your pink stilettos—and get ready to boogie as if the gloomy-eyed ghost of Rowland S Howard himself is watching.
With an impressive debut performance alongside renowned artists like David Microwave Javelosa of Los Microwaves, members from The Units and Tuxedomoon, and special guest Miguel Gomez of Kontrol, Pink Stiletto, under Kvochkova’s leadership, promises an electrifying future.
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