After the surge of ethereal electronic bands that arrived in the wake of
Shrines,
Purity Ring's
Megan James and
Corin Roddick wanted their second album to stand out from the pack. On
Another Eternity, they do just that -- by becoming more pop. Where
Shrines often felt exploratory, this album is direct, possibly because they worked in physical proximity for the first time, choosing Edmonton as a home base.
Another Eternity makes the contrast between
James' limpid vocals and
Roddick's thumping beats more distinct, and distinctive, than ever, particularly on the gorgeous "Begin Again." Wedding poetic verses with soaring, insistent choruses that
CHVRCHES would love to call their own, it's one of
Purity Ring's most immediate songs. However, it isn't a compromise, and as
James and
Roddick look to even more popular styles of music for inspiration, they sound more unique. Their R&B and hip-hop leanings are clearer than they were on
Shrines, and on tracks like "Repetition," which sounds equally alien and sensual, and "Stranger Than Earth," where rattling, trap-inspired beats add some friction, they're also more creative. And while
Roddick and
James are no longer online collaborators, they still play with the dualities of virtual and real, physical and spiritual on
Another Eternity. Song titles like "Push Pull" and phrases like "veins growing slow" nod to
James' fascination with bodily imagery on
Shrines, and her crystalline, perhaps slightly processed vocals have a more-human-than-human vulnerability that gives "Heartsigh" a hyperreal poignancy. It all comes together brilliantly on "Bodyache," a wish for intimacy to a music-box melody and synths that sparkle like tears -- or stars.
Another Eternity remains true to what makes
Purity Ring special by refining it, and proves that they can challenge themselves and deliver their most accessible work yet. [
Another Eternity was also released on LP.] ~ Heather Phares