4AD Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Five long years, half a lengthy decade. We've waited a long time for Purity Ring to return to the release schedule and they mean pretty serious business in doing so. This one's not necessarily for the fainthearted, although the contents are gorgeous, glistening pop adventures that neither conform to standards in that rather loose and vague 'genre', nor jar ears to the point of putting anyone off. Opener, 'Rubyinsides' is a useful case in point. A lunging bassline and staccato off-beats are paired beneath near-falsetto vocals of the breathy rather than shrill nature. Shades of Lykke Li abound, then. 'Vehemance' follows a similar rhythmic pattern, with all the tracks existing in a macro-produced electronic scape. Subject matters are where the contrasts and challenges are found, with resilience in the face of obstacles that could be overwhelming - fear of the unknown, death itself - a consistent theme.