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)

Battle of Orgreave (2001), a reenactment of an actual event which occurred during the UK miners’ strike in 1984, is one of the best-remembered Turner Prize winners of the past decade. Its author, Jeremy Deller, is known for reanimating historical events in his critical public interventions. Dwelling in between documentary and fiction, his practice examines the potential role of communal places as citizens’ theaters, their open nature attesting to their inherently political character. Much of Deller’s work is collaborative, ephemeral and directed at devaluating artistic ego through interactive processes. An exhibition organized by Hayward Gallery, London, in association with the WIELS Center of Contemporary Art, Brussels, gathers most of his major works to date in an expansive display of images, movies, installations,banners and sound works. Notably, “Jeremy Deller: Joy in People” presents the reconstitution of Open Bedroom (1993), his first exhibition, initially shown in his parents’ bedroom. Also for the first time, the artist’s unrealized projects are gathered in a section of the exhibition entitled “My Failures.” Next to London and Brussels, the show will have a third stop-off at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, giving a wide audience a chance to explore the work of one of the most generous and pertinent artists of today. (Romain Baro)