It's not every day you see a poster-pretty pop queen playing a harmonica. When you do, as Nina Persson proves, it's a beguiling sight.
With her microphone stand in one hand, harmonica in the other, Persson manages to turn an instrument played by old men into a tantalising, trendy accessory.
It's this veneer of cool that Persson brings to the laid-back, sunshine music of A Camp, her first project outside the Cardigans and a chance for her to reinvent herself. Dressed in a suit jacket with puff sleeves that is straight from the catwalk and a black vest that is understatedly sexy, Persson is confident and captivating, even though her eyes remain hidden beneath a black leather cap that Lenny Kravitz will one day want back.
To reinforce Persson's diva quality, the band take to the stage and play a moody intro before the singer appears. That familiar, angelic voice rises above the big sound and drum shuffles of Frequent, reminiscent of Gene Pitney's melodramas.
Much of A Camp's self-titled debut album is subtle and delicate, a mood reflected in the black backdrop filled with tiny lights, like a clear night sky. Train of Salvation is typical of the soothing, airy, open sound, so fresh and clean you can practically smell the pine needles.
The sound is very scenic and A Camp are destined to feature on countless soundtracks: Algebra's acoustic guitar and shattering vocals are tailor-made to accompany a close-up of Leonardo DiCaprio's angst-ridden face. But Persson can rock when she wants to and Hard As a Stone gives her a chance to do just that: the guitars get fiercer and the keyboard squelches out high, piercing notes. Imagine if Janis Joplin had forgone the spit, sawdust and Jack Daniels in favour of more healthy outdoors pursuits: that's the sound Persson is creating.
A Camp's songs are introspective diary pieces, and their singer is aloof and untouchable. Persson barely speaks to the crowd and even her advice that "now's the time to tell the jokes" as a guitar is tuned sounds dismissive. But then, she doesn't need us - she has found herself, and created loveliness in the process.
