Album Review: Kira Puru - Kira Puru

Kira Puru knows how to write a pop banger, and this is evident on her five-song, self-titled debut EP. ‘80s synth bass lines combine with disco beats to create something that will no doubt be played at house parties on repeat this summer.

The first song, Tension, was released with a video at the end of last year, but it has a timeless pop quality that won’t go out of style any time soon. Puru cites Grace Jones and The Eurythmics as some of her biggest inspirations, and that shines through with her tightly controlled but powerful pop vocals combined with catchy-as-hell melodies.

The EP may only have five songs, but it’s all killer. Puru consistently delivers memorable hooks and head-boppy choruses, with sometimes serious, sometimes tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Fly gives us cheeky innuendo about planes, while the last track, Alone, is surprisingly goth for how fun it sounds, with lyrics like "dance together and we die alone". Gospel choir backing vocals only serve to emphasise the connection to Madonna’s Like A Prayer.

Puru’s debut may have been a while coming, but it’s a great showcase of her pop vocalist abilities. She’s the party queen we don’t deserve, but most certainly need.