The Pink Pearl Dragon

Lo Fi Dragon High Electro is the second EP from a one-woman band, The Pink Pearl Dragon. It was released in July 2012, two years after her self-titled debut. The Toronto-based The Pink Pearl Dragon, not only writes all of her songs, but arranges and produces her material. She is comes across as playful with her use of various loops and effects, although sometimes you want her to let loose completely and be more experimental. With a little more diversity, some risk taking and a solid fan-base she just might emerge on the scene as the next Grimes.
Lo Fi Dragon High Electro is a mix of high dream pop vocals, and shoegaze guitars and distortions. The EP truly shines when it’s the loudest (think HTRK with a touch of Blonde Redhead). Romantic lyrics and ethereal multi-layered vocals will surely urge all the teenage girls to sing along, even if the words are hard to understand sometimes.
“A Happy Song” is the shining jewel of the album, providing a great entrance into the world of The Pink Pearl Dragon. It makes a bold statement and sets the tone for the whole record. Unfortunately, this otherworldly ride ends with the song “Word” and its long fading outro. “Play Again”, which comes after it, sadly feels like a step down from the level of artistry and vocal ability of the record.

The Good: The Pink Pearl Dragon is riding the wave of the “IT” genre. The best thing anyone can do is be at the right place at the right time.
The Bad: The last track is completely lost on me.
The Ugly: Small imperfections in guitar rhythm changes and unclear vocal note ties grow on you and feel more personal. There is a lot of potential that still needs to be tapped into.

By: Raya P. - Scene Magazine (Canada)

The Pink Pearl Dragon – Lo Fi Dragon High Electro (thepinkpearldragon.com)
So, I was minding my own business, happily filling my daily music playlists with a random and diverse assortment of acts – as I always do – when a copy of ‘Lo Fi Dragon High Electro’ showed up in the mail a few weeks ago. This was intriguing in every way – the name of the band, the name of the record, the cover art, even the song titles. I took it for a spin – and then another one, and another, and another… – and haven’t been quite the same ever since. The Pink Pearl Dragon is, amazingly, a one-man band. Ahh… that’s not really true. The Pink Pearl Dragon is a one-WOMAN band. The Pink Pearl Dragon is, in fact, Rina R. Rosen, a diversely talented artist from Toronto, Canada. Rosen wrote, performed, recorded, engineered, and produced every aspect – except for the drum loops – on this six-song EP all by herself, and I believe she is responsible for the eye-popping cover art and packaging as well. All of that is impressive, sure, but what about the music? Truthfully, I could just listen to and write about the song ‘Word’ for the rest of the day and never get tired of it. Is there anyone reading this who is familiar with the band Monsters Are Waiting? They were a band from Los Angeles fronted by a vocalist/keyboardist named Analee Ferry that blasted into my life with some of the best live shows I’ve ever witnessed, along with 2 EPs and one full-length album, during the period of 2005-2008. There is importance in this digression. Monsters Are Waiting combined electro-pop with post-punk and an abundance of originality like no other act I’d ever heard before and like no other act I’ve heard since… until now. To backtrack slightly, I could base all of this purely on the song ‘Word’, which kicks in with an acid-jazz beat not unlike US3’s brilliant 1993 single ‘Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)’ and builds into a massive cacophony of delirious sound with layers of guitars and vocals that are in turn haunting and uplifting… and then the whole thing spirals down into a moody denouement that is nothing short of breathtaking. The only other comparison I can make – and I must point out the importance of this reference for anyone who is not familiar with what is absolutely the most grand musical obsession of my entire life – is to the single greatest album ever made: 1983’s eponymous release by Belfegore. In fact, my mind hears colors of that album all over ‘Lo Fi Dragon High Electro’ – in the vocal interplay, the razor-sharp guitar riffs, and the happily spooky keyboards found throughout this EP, to say nothing of the dark chords in ‘Play Again’, which seem to echo Belfegore’s ‘Wake Up With Sirens’ in a fashion that is nearly a tribute. I could make references to acts that are more well-known today – ‘Thinking Of You Running’ should have instant appeal to fans of both Kate Bush and Garbage; ‘Happy Song’ could be a collaboration with Chemical Brothers; there are shades of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Love And Rockets, The Cocteau Twins, and Clan Of Xymox here and there – but the end result is nothing less than The Pink Pearl Dragon, a genre unto itself. And in my little world, there is nothing better than that. The Impaler @impalerspeaks
Here are links to The Pink Pearl Dragon official site and Twitter page:
thepinkpearldragon.com ** @pinkpearldragon - Impaler Speaks

Toronto, Canada’s The Pink Pearl Dragon is the solo project of electronic artist, Rina Rosen. That’s right folks, it’s just a one-woman show; a single mind, free of all the boundaries set in place by proper music education, whose creativity takes the form of a lush, electro indie-pop. She describes her work as “Heart Broken Punk” as well as “Sardonic Pseudo Pop,” and whilst the punk isn’t immediately apparent the richly layered harmonies instantly bring on little knots and butterflies, and maybe even goosebumps on occasion, slightly and gently breaking our hearts.

The Pink Pearl Dragon‘s style of arrangement has a very pretty sound in all areas, from the individual instrument sounds, to the compositionof each part; from the richly-layered vocals, to the lyrics themselves; and even beautiful in the subtle, yet significant presence of reverb, liberally applied throughout. She uses simple, programmed drum beats as the foundation for her tunes, and builds songs upon them, thick with sounds as varied as one might expect her influences to be, including tortured and angry electric guitar sounds, carefully processed keyboard hooks, and several layers of beautifully composed, aria-like vocal parts.

The Pink Pearl Dragon‘s most recent release is titled Lo-Fi Dragon High Electro, and has a kind of consonance that is only possible when a single individual endeavors to make a deeply personal, and equally deeply honest, statement about who they are as an artist. The overall feeling of the album is very intimate, giving an inside look at the solo artist’s mind, and at times has a tendency to evoke a melancholy empathy.

Interestingly enough, Lo-Fi Dragon High Electro opens with a piece titled “A Happy Song” which sounds somewhat like the 80's on MDMA, combined with a hearty dash of contemporary indie and vocals that feel like a sunny-day view of a majestic mountain range in all its infinite beauty and sadness. The Pink Pearl Dragon‘s ability to compose beautiful harmonies really shines on “Rest Your Head” and “Save My Heart”; both are gorgeous instances where two individually beautiful vocal melodies merge to form a complex harmony, each one playing off of the subtleties of the other in a playful manner. A darker side emerges on “Word” which showcases a sharp change in timbre introducing a coarse, distorted guitar sound, which adds a surprisingly haunting and dark quality to the piece. Lo-Fi Dragon High Electro ends strongly with a piece aptly named “Play Again”, perfectly fusing all the above elements, almost leaving you pining for more and contemplating a replay in the near future, shamlessly leaving the CD in the car stereo for another week or two.

Overall, Lo-Fi Dragon High Electro has a quality that is as richly colored as the magical moments of driving on an empty beachside road at sunrise or sunset, as if she’s attempting to paint a picture for us or perhaps score a scene in a silent film. The Pink Pearl Dragon expertly captures an empathy within the listener that parallels the experience of such gorgeous colors and the sort of emotional content that makes tears slightly sting the eyes as they well up, but feeling relaxed and unburdened all at once.
- TPR Mag.Com

"This show will be a little different than most Death Disco shows. It isn't grindy and it isn't super gothy but it is beautiful, haunting music that sits nicely between shoegaze and pop noire in my opinion" - Ryan Clark, Promoter of Death Disco Ottawa. - Ryan clark, Death Disco Ottawa

"I like what you've done. It's very ethereal" - Andrew Rosen Producer of Todd and The Book of Evil. - Facebook

The Pink Pearl Dragon: Lo Fi Dragon High Electro EP Review

Growing up in the 90’s has instilled a constant fondness to all things grunge. Don’t get it twisted, I shower, wear makeup and properly fitting clothes; But to everyone who welcomed the grunge era with open arms, knows that grunge is more than just clothing, it’s a lifestyle

The Pink Pearl Dragon, from Toronto, Canada, brings me back to the days of Jnco jeans and Airwalks.

Her self-produced new EP, Lo Fi Dragon High Electro, mixes true grunge rock with icy electro-synth sounds topped with polished, feminine vocals. Her lo-fi melancholic tracks with, at times, hazy yet hypnotizing vocals, offer a chill and somber mood. With exception to the drum loops, The Pink Pearl Dragon plays all the instruments on the EP.

Band: The Pink Pearl Dragon
Album: Lo Fi Dragon High Electro - EP
Genre: Dark Wave, Post-Rock, Alternative, Lo-Fi Melancholic Pop, New Wave, Grunge Rock, Synth-Electronic, Sardonic Pseudo Pop

Track List:

1. Happy Song - This track is as close as The Pink Pearl Dragon is going to get to a dance track on this EP. Incorporating synth-electro pop sounds, while keeping it dark and moody. One of my favorite tracks.

2. Rest Your Head - Referred to as a melancholic pop song. To me, this track favors those from the Cranberries, minus the yodeling vocals. Lower synth sounds and piano based, although The Pink Pearl Dragon is an untrained pianist. (Currently In-Rotation on Diet Radio: Master Stream)

3. Thinking Of You Running - True grunge rock! This track is a testament of The Pink Pearl Dragon’s unique vocal style. Her polished Soprano vocals over grungy guitar riffs and a simple drum beat. (Currently In-Rotation on Diet Radio: Master Stream)

4. Save My Heart - Her dismal, yet sweet vocals echo over a slowed down, moody synth-electro beat. Very chill, my favorite on the EP. (Currently In-Rotation on Diet Radio: Master Stream)

5. Word - Cool drum beats and lots of guitar. Sounds like Garbage, the band, not the noun. Very unusual, and what The Pink Pearl Dragon describes as an experimental song. Our program director’s favorite track. (Currently In-Rotation on Diet Radio: Master Stream)

6. Play Again - Hazy vocals over alternative darkwave guitar riffs. Described as depressing and very gothic. Judging by the cheers and applause at the end, the crowd loves this one. I’ve never seen The Pink Pearl Dragon live, but I’m sure she’d rock out for this track. (Currently In-Rotation on Diet Radio: Master Stream)
And now, a Q & A Sesh with The Pink Pearl Dragon.

Diet Radio: What kind of car do you drive? Is it clean or dirty?

The Pink Pearl Dragon: A PT Cruiser. Er…not the cleanest, but I try. I just don’t care about stuff like that sometimes. Cars are for getting places, you know?

DR: What’s the one thing you never leave home without?

PPD: My iPhone, and hopefully my sanity.

DR: You sing about struggles with love, when did you first get your heart broken?

PPD: Haha. I’ve had my heart broken a lot, but one significant encounter was when I was 17 years old. I had a crush on a very introverted boy. We were in the basement of a friend’s house at a party, and I leaned over to try and kiss him and he leaned back! So I thought, “oh he must not understand I like him”, and so I tried again to kiss him and this time he leaped backwards! Embarrassed, I ran into the end of the backyard of the house (which was almost a huge forest) until my friends came to find me and tell me that he had left. I never tried to kiss another boy ever again (without him making a move first). I also was quite devastated and heartbroken when he started dating my best friend a few weeks later. I stopped talking to both of them. Now we’re friends. But at the time, it was like my heart was ripped out of my chest and I couldn’t express in words how I felt. I wrote the song “Kiss Me” about that situation from my first self titled album. That’s a chaotic mess because it was recorded on a 4-track. I just smashed instruments and sang like a Banshee in lieu of a healthier emotional reaction to the disappointment.

DR: Are you in a relationship now?

PPD: I actually just started seeing someone and I am very much in love. I believe he is my soulmate and I feel very lucky. I hope our relationship continues to thrive. I mean, I’ve told every cute guy I know that I am now taken so this better work out, haha…

DR: What’s your boyfriend’s sexiest feature?

PPD: I keep oo’ing and ahh’ing over my boyfriend’s side. From the top of his neck to his hip bone. A man lying on his side (particularly a sexy dark naked one) is my favorite “feature “…if not the actual headliner :). That may be a bit too graphic for people. Sorry, lol! I love him. I can’t believe how sexy he is.

DR: Whew, is it hot in here? What about you, what’s your favorite physical feature?

PPD: I love that I’m symmetrical. I’d hate to have particularly short or long legs or arms. I als - Diet Radio

On Fri, Apr 27, 2012 at 2:42 PM

Hello NXNE festival

I've heard the "Pink Pearl Dragon" is on standby for a spot during this year's upcoming festival and just wanted to do a shoutout of support for this musician.


I've seen this band (The Pink Pearl Dragon) live previously in Toronto, and she puts on a very unique and mesmerizing show. Beautiful moody pseudo pop music and dreamy vocals.


Her songs are short, sweet and captivating.

A definite unique show to experience and worth including in one of the NXNE lineups for this year if you are able to.

I have attended NXNE festival with a wristband pass for the past 7 years, and interesting musicians like this is what keep me going every year.

Thanks kindly!
B.E.
- Fan Email

HE PROCESS RECORDS MEDIA GROUP IS PROUD TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ARTIST OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY, THE PINK PEARL DRAGON

THE PINK PEARL DRAGON (TORONTO, CA) IS AN AMAZING WASHED OUT NEW WAVE/POST MODERN ROCK MUSIC PROJECT THAT REALLY SHOWS RINA’S TALENT FOR PSYCHEDELIC AND PEDAL DRIVEN ROCK AND ROLL. HER MUSIC IS SURPRISING, WELL COMPOSED, AND ENJOYABLE TO LISTEN TO. YOU CAN FIND HER WORK AT:

HTTP://WWW.THEPINKPEARLDRAGON.COM

HTTP://WWW.SOUNDCLOUD.COM/THEPINKPEARLDRAGON

TAKE A LISTEN AND MAKE YOUR OWN ASSESSMENT OF RINA’S ART. - The Process Media Group

By: Jordannah Elizabeth
Prelude:
Rina Rosen, the sole performer, writer, and producer of The Pink Pearl Dragon (Toronto, CA) and I have a relatively harmonious bond. I am happy to write about her and her music because she is a good friend of The Process Records, and because it has given me a chance to learn more about her musical history:
Rina started her career in 1992 and should be noted as one of the organizers of the original Ladyfest, a riot grrrl run music festival that took first place in Olympia, Washington and later had a hand in throwing Ladyfest Melbourne.
She’s a talented musician who also played in the garage band, ADHD (Melbourne, Australia) in the early millennium. The band moved to Toronto, later becoming The Dramics (2009-2011)
THE PINK PEARL DRAGON
The Pink Pearl Dragon (Toronto, CA) is an amazing washed out new wave/post modern rock music project that really shows Rina’s talent for psychedelic and pedal driven rock and roll. Her music is surprising, well composed, and enjoyable to listen to. You can find her work at:
http://www.thepinkpearldragon.com
http://www.soundcloud.com/thepinkpearldragon
Take a listen and make your own assessment of Rina’s art. - The Process Records

The Pink Pearl Dragon roaring in for Indie Week 2011

Local musician The Pink Pearl Dragon will be performing, for the first time, for Toronto Indie Week 2011, October 13, 2011, at Nocturne, 550 Queen Street West.

How did this local musician and artist get into Indie Week 2011?
“I have been rejected for the past two years and this year I finally got mad and asked my few international fans to send emails or tweets to Indie Week. I’m not sure if they did, but I’d like to think at least one did. Hopefully that helped. Or I’m deluded. Probably a better band backed out. Either way, I’m happy to finally get an opportunity to play”.

And who is she?
“”I’m that super tall and reclusive quirky spastic skeptical die hard passionless romantic that has been hiding in the corners of Toronto for years. I recently discovered I’m an INTP, too”, she describes.

The Pink Pearl Dragon is a Toronto born musician, artist, writer, and philosopher and leader in a new sound called Heart Broken Punk.

Her new term for her music, “Heart Broken Punk”, is supposed to represent a feminine approach to a post-modern punk music. Her music has alternative, grunge, rock, dance, and other post-modern punk influences. Although her musical tastes tend to have a harder edge, her high soprano-alto voice has always limited her ability to be an aggressive, heavy, or loud singer.

Most of her songs have multi layered vocal tracks; her drop B guitar, a heavy beat, and / or her keyboard. She produces every inch of the production, and performs with a small pink ipod - karaoke style.

The music is very lo - fi, but remarkably listenable. She is offering kisses and free CDS to anyone who comes and see her. A special guest will be doing performance art while she sings, she believes. If you want to hear some recent samples, she recommends her facebook page at www.facebook.com/thepinkpearldragon, “where all the new stuff goes on”.

The Pink Pearl Dragon has two albums available on Itunes (ADHD the band and Self Titled Album The Pink Pearl Dragon) and is currently working on two more: one Lo-Fi Dragon High Electro and The Dramics: The Pink Pearl Dragon’s newest band that broke up before performing. ADHD the band was recorded in Melbourne, Australia by a former engineer of Nick Cave (2003), with the help of J. Dovercourt (Wavelength) and John Noonan (Aus recluse).

Check her out at Indie Week 2011, October 13, 2011, at Nocturne, 550 Queen Street West. www.thepinkpearldragon.com

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- Media Release/PPD