Grimes, Austra, Doldrums… Purity Ring fits perfectly into the line of arty electronic indie-pop that is flooding into Belgium from out of Canada. They were catapulted into the blogosphere as a hype in '11 - on the basis of one track, ‘Ungirthed’ - and totally lived up to expectations with ‘Shrines’, their first longplayer on 4AD (Bon Iver, tUnE-yArDs, Grimes, Twin Shadow).‘Nightmare pop’ is what the duo labels their mix of synth-pop, chillwave and shoegaze bourne by the vague hip-hop beats of Corin Roddick (the male half of this courtly duo). The ‘nightmare’ aspect mainly occupies the sinister lyrics of singer Megan James, with diaries from her childhood serving as inspiration, and the bizarre light-/drum-module with which Roddick chases his live beats through the speakers. “Cut open my sternum and pull my little ribs around you” sings James in second single ‘Fineshrine’. Not exactly easily listening but definitely obligatory for musical hedonists who enjoy a bit of Fever Ray, Holy Other or Cocteau Twins.

Following a successful show at the Texan showcase festival SXSW (their set in a Presbyterian church was the talk of the town) they were tipped by the AB-delegation and wooed by Dirty Projectors (on 20/10 in the ABbox). That mating-dance ended hand-in-hand as tour-support throughout North America ... and you shouldn't expect more than hand-holding of Purity Ring.

Be warned: keep your hands to yourself in the ABclub, you can (must) look but don't touch!

Get started with Doldrums (Eric Woodhead), another promising Canadian electro-pop talent, who cuts up pop melodies into moody electro-pop mixed with androgynous vocals.
Landed on the b-side of the Portishead single of the same name with his version of ‘Chase The Tear’ and, in doing so, made an impression upon London's cult-label No Pain In Pop.
Debut-EP ‘Empire Sound’ was soon a fact and the 22-year-old Woodhead threw a new 12” into the ring in June ’12.‘Egypt’ is out on the Souterrain Transmissions (Ganglians, EMA, Zola Jesus).