AUSTRA / Olympia [2013]

A colorful cover featuring frontwoman Katie Stelmanis in bright pink and radiant red hair leads one to believe that goth synth-pop act Austra was trying to break free from their dark & mysterious image.
However their 2013 sophomore album Olympia is just as ethereally esoteric as their first album only now the beats seem to throb a bit more and the compositions shine with confidence..
As chilly and cold as the hypnotizing music is, it's all given an intimate and warm feeling with Stelmanis' soaring, yet vulnerable voice.  As modern as the arrangements are, the production could easily fit into 4AD's heyday with Dead Can Dance and The Cocteau Twins with it's shimmering pulses and blips & beeps.

4 quiet indoor fights out of 5

Songs Of Note:  What We Done; Painful Like

AUSTRA / Feel It Break [2011]

Canadian Gothic synth-pop trio Austra's debut album Feel It Break just keeps growing on me more and more with each listen.
At first I wasn't too mesmerized with the Kate Bush/Cocteau Twins-esque music they were playing but for some reason I was eager to give it another chance.
What was revealed was hypnotically composed synth-pop songs that are never too synthy and don't rely to heavily on the exquisite dreamlike vocals to hold the songs up. In fact it's a perfect blend of both in such a nice and subtle shimmering '80's sort of way.
A fine little debut album that went under most folks radars but will hopefully keep turning heads in the future.

3½ SoHo's Revenge out of 5

Songs Of Note: Darken Her Horse; The Choke