Purity Ring
Another Eternity (Last Gang Records)
Whilst listening to this album during a visit to my parent's place, my mother entered the room and asked me, “Is this Britney Spears?”
No mom, this is Another Eternity, Edmontonian synth pop/"witch-house" duo Purity Ring’s highly anticipated follow up to 2012’s Shrines.
While vocalist Megan James is no “Womanizer”, she definitely has a squeaky, saccharine quality to her voice, bringing images of Britney to the uneducated ear. But, naturally there is more to Purity Ring than their sparkly facade.
Lead single “Push Pull” is a gorgeous exploration in young love lost, creating tension by using polyrhythms, sampled percussion and infectious melodies and occasional three part harmonies. In “Stranger Than Earth”, James sings, “I wasn’t thinkin’ bout you” repeatedly, bringing to mind Frank Ocean’s 2012 hit, all while mixing it in with big-ass Dance Mix '95 synthesizers and rogue wave beats.
Mixing visual lyrics with moments of poetic finesse and brighter, carefully crafted production, Purity Ring have delivered a great pop record.
Rating: ★★★
