Purity Ring

Only two years and 11 songs into their career, Purity Ring are already a divisive duo. It's not that anyone outright hates them, but those who are indifferent are adamantly so ― the lack of accidental notes, key changes, mathematical rhythms, or organic instrumental sorcery on debut album Shrines caused shrugs amongst some snobby music fans. Fair enough, but they're missing the point: there's something inexplicable about Purity Ring's marriage of Montrealer Corin Roddick's haunted, bass-heavy hip-hop-tronic production to Haligonian Megan James's prim alto croon, something that transcends what is traditionally accepted as "good" music. Listen to the melodic, hypnotic tumble of James's pitch shifted voice at the beginning of "Amenamy" or the crashing, ethereal crescendo of "Belispeak" for the moments of elegance and pure aesthetic pleasure that make Purity Ring more than the sum of their technical parts.