Almost unknown in early 2011, the Canadian duo Purity Ring –Megan James (vocals) and Corin Roddick (instrumentals) – gained recognition with their two singles, “Ungirthed” and “Belispeak”.
Despite the members’ young ages – Roddick is 21, James is 24 ­­– their first album, Shrines, already evinces a robust identity. Purity Ring’s sound has aspects of Synthpop, Dream pop, Post-dubstep and even Indietronica, all fused through James’ smooth voice. The pulse of actual Southern rap productions – Rapper Ro Ransom in “Obedear”, the ninth track of the album – might form the perfect occasion of a remix. Purity Ring’s music has a way of attracting you and, at other times, repulsing you. Tracks like “Crawlersout,” “Fineshrine” or the simple ending “Shuck” define perfectly what Purity Ring is able to do best: creating a rich, if fragile, acoustic environment.  (Romain Baro)