purity ring
Listening to Purity Ring’s panoramic synth-pop has always felt a bit like stepping into a futuristic fantasyland, so it makes perfect sense that Megan James and Corin Roddick would envision their self-titled fourth album as the soundtrack to a *Final Fantasy*-style RPG that exists only in their own minds. But while *purity ring* comes loaded with fleet-footed, breakbeat-driven bops (“many lives,” “between you and shadows”) ideal for whipping through levels at warp speed and slaying enemies with militaristic precision, the album’s more manic tracks flow naturally into meditative soundscapes (“part ii,” “mistral”) that reflect the more exploratory aspects of gaming, where you’re content to just wander through and marvel at the digital vistas around you. And even if you’re not a headset-sporting joystick jockey, there’s no resisting the emotional undertow of “imanocean,” where James turns off the pitch-shifting vocal filters and Roddick eases off the electro-freakery to deliver an acoustic-driven, heart-pumping indie-pop anthem.
On Purity Ring's first album in five years, their lush electronic sound and exploratory tone effectively conjure the escapist virtual reality of their inspirations, although the result is more enticing in concept than execution.
Have you ever become so immersed in a piece of art that you never want to leave its world? On their fourth full-length, Canadian electronic duo Purity
Purity Ring by Purity Ring album review by Ivy Skarda for Northern Transmissions. The Canadian duo's LP drops on September 26 via 4AD