REVIEW: Purity Ring 'Shrines' LP

PURITY RING’s Shrines LP is a joyous, lush soundscape to build daydreams upon: bubbly synths, angelic vocals, tight harmonies and pop hooks define the sound of this Montreal duo.

The polished and accomplished sound of PURITY RING’s debut offering Shrines might be attributed to the band’s experience as a song-writing team, as they formed back in 2010.

‘Fineshrine’ is a stand-out, with its pulsating melody and rolling drumbeat. Its lyrics are deceivingly gory – suggestions to “cut open my sternum and pull/ my little ribs around you” will bemuse, as you wonder how a brutal shrine such as this could ever be as inviting and comforting as it sounds. Despite these dark overtones, singer MEGAN JAMES reportedly doesn’t ‘think too hard’ about the parts of her lyrics journal she will sing over any given electronic track. Certainly, the title of the album is suggestive of the bodily themes within, and any graphic references to internal organs make sense in light of this.

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On first listen to singles 'Belispeak' or 'Ungirthed', you might not hear hip-hop influence in PURITY RING sound. However, this urban flavour comes out on slow-burning 'Grandloves', with a male melodic rap acting as a refreshing diversion from the predominantly breathy feminine falsetto.

There is a lot of ethereal dream-pop with a strong electro backbone floating around presently, and call it what you will – post-dub, synth-pop, witch house – it soothes the heart and warms its cockles.

'SHRINES' TRACKLIST'

1. Crawlersout

2. Fineshrine

3. Ungirthed

4. Amenamy

5. Grandloves

6. Cartographist

7. Belispeak

8. Saltkin

9. Obedear

10. Lofticries

11. Shuck