AUSTRA play tonight (Thursday, May 19) at Lee’s Palace. See listing. Rating: NNNN
When Katie Stelmanis’s first single as Austra leaked last summer, many saw Beat And The Pulse as a huge leap forward for the quirky opera-trained singer/songwriter. All of a sudden the power of her eerie voice was matched by equally arresting production and a new focus on rhythm that we hoped was a sign of what to expect from the full album. After a long wait, we’re pleased to say that it easily lives up to early high expectations.
The dark electronic production and soaring vocals are often compared to acts like Fever Ray and Zola Jesus, but Austra is far from a carbon copy of their goth-dance sensibilities. Stelmanis brings a more musical sensibility to the formula, even if it’s still miles away from mainstream pop. At times you can tell that this material was written over a long period, but there’s enough sonic consistency for it to work beautifully as a complete album. An extremely strong debut.
Top track: Shoot The Water
