It seems the CD, titled “Another Eternity,” has racked up more plays than any other CD that is played through my stereo, at least 50 times. That number will continue to increase — for its only 35 minutes long, or rather short.
The 10-song compilation sounds a lot like their first album “Shrines” (2012), but that doesn’t disappoint. In fact, it was more than enjoyable. Each song sounds vibrantly different — their synthetic sounds, combined with her high-pitched voice, similar to Grimes, create a new setting for every track.
Similar to Purity Ring’s last album, it is dark — extremely dark. The listener is taken on a visceral experience through dreams and daydreams. Members Megan James and Corin Roddick use descriptive body parts that almost seem explicit, “get inside and build your castle into me,” in the song “Sea Castle” and “Repetition,” James says “climb up in my rattling spine, and I’ll contract.”
The first track opens with light-hearted tones but questionable lyrics. By about half-way through the album, the lines become more obscure.
“Dust Hymn,” starts with “there’s dew under the bed where / sweat and dreams hath tread / your feet would touch the floor / and drift around the boards / hang you like a lullaby.”
Sounds an awful lot like a hanging, intentional or not, it isn’t clear.
Later, “Sea Castle” touts the strongest musical synthesis in the whole release. It has a heavy bass line that moves with several, distinct synthetic sounds while her voice echoes around.
Each song seems to address a specific person, using the second person “you” and on occasion “she.” The she, although personified with human attributes, insinuates the likeness of earth.
“We are stranger than earth / with her seasons misled / stronger than her moods,” a repeated verse in the song “Stranger Than Earth.” The title seems to imply an ethereal experience as well.
The album would have finished strong if it had been held to the end. It otherwise ends with an almost thrown-together track. The lyrics are without real rhyme or reason. It’s not even worth discussing any more than that -- it would be giving the track too much credit where it is not due.
Sure their new album sounds an awful lot like their first debut, but isn’t it expected? Why should their second release be any different than the first?
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All the same, it’s definitely worth a listen if you can get past the depressing almost on the verge of insanity lyrics.
Moriah Carty is a culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at cultureassistant @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @MoriahCarty.
