Nina Persson: the girl at the other side of a crowded room who grabs my attention with Siren-like irresistibility yet who remains completely oblivious to my existence, which only goes to make her all the more alluring.

So I stand there and hope - at least - that her sphinx-like level gaze will turn my way. But no. Untouchably cool, all cruel smile and leopard eyes, she remains with a detached air whilst those around her form a blur of movement. Ice Queen. Heartbreaker.

Try as I might, I can‘t drag my eyes away...

A Camp belong in the most rightfully maligned musical genre: the side project. But be rest assured gentle reader, for this is no Blurillaz style, bored millionaire hobby-band atrocity. No, with A Camp Nina ditches ‘Gran Turismo‘s’ flirtation with rawk that blighted The Cardigans‘ otherwise perfect [pop] copybook and goes for a more reflective, emotionally contained sound. September is coming soon and A Camp's autumnal hues will be it’s soundtrack.

‘I Can Buy You‘ sees Nina as a rich bitch who has an unrequited love for a man that ignores her advances and so, in desperation, attempts to ‘buy’ his love with the promise of riches and gifts. All to no avail, which leads to a certain ennui of affluence: “What’s the use of being a millionaire if I can’t have you?“ she sings, in a voice like tears falling over sapphires.

And what of the yearning harmonica and other Country instrumentation weaving their way through this record?

Ah, that’ll be the work of leading alt.Country weirdo Mark Linkous, returning the favour for Nina supplying guest vocals on three tracks on Sparklehorse's latest album ‘It’s A Wonderful Life‘. The result is this wonderful, coolly understated single which ditches the leather trousers and similar clichéd rock affectations in favour of dignified, classy pop.

‘I Can Buy You’: a rare moment of beauty and grace in a singles market rammed with cheap, tawdry thrills.

But! If only I can get her attention, to somehow get her to notice that I exist!. I would talk to her if I could summon up the nerve, if I could hear myself think above the sound of my own heartbeat. She moves through the crowd like a shark through water. This could be my moment.!

And when she passes, I smile -

but she doesn’t see