Purity Ring - WOMB (Review)

Stale musings from a previous pioneer...

For an artist who played such a significant role in pioneering the electropop-trap fusions that came to characterise much of the 2010's electronic music, I can't help but feel that Purity Ring have fallen behind the times on their much belated third studio album. It was their lightning-in-a-bottle trap-inflected electronica paired with the sensibilities of their vocalist Megan James's deadpan delivery that created a then-unique magic that helped to drive their debut album Shrines into divisive acclaim as a hugely influential but often disliked body of work that was expanded upon and blown up into greater proportions with their more grandiose and ethereal 2015 followup, the even more divisive Another Eternity. This more ethereal and spacey direction is continued and amplified here on WOMB, an album that seems to forget the importance of a strong chorus in helping to sell their still jagged and experimental passages to sceptical critics and general audiences alike.

Perhaps a more anthemic direction would have helped to flesh out these pseudo-grand songs, as Purity Ring strive to attain the heavenly yet dark sound that they attempt to convey with their most religious (or often sacrilegious) themes and lyrics. I think for me the most noticeable difference between WOMB and their last album is in the underweight instrumentals that continuously miss the peaks necessary for the big sweeping synths to seem anything other than absent of focus. As a whole, focus is one thing this album shouldn't lack, especially given the tighter themes and less varying lyrical topics, but Megan's vocal delivery is at its most inexpressive, resulting in a sadly distant experience where it's difficult to connect with the messages of this album. 

Huge synths and ever intriguing instrumental choices are dampened by the overcompressed mix, the different sounds and instruments occupying too much of the same space and failing to be as distinctive or as memorable as those on previous albums, and offers yet another reason as to why this album is so devoid of personality and emotion. When nothing has evolved since the last album over four years ago, and when the only changes seem to be detrimental or non-impactful due to the squashed feel the production brings, it's a shame but I'm left completely cold to an album that was intended to feel warm and comforting. Really, it's just unfortunate how so many great electropop artists are returning after five years and delivering their most lacklustre projects, but Purity ring has been added to that list alongside Grimes, La Roux and more.

5/10

Best Tracks: rubyinsides; i like the devil; stardew
Worst Tracks: femia; sinew

Watch the video for "pink lightning"

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"WOMB"
Purity Ring

3rd April 2020

4AD

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