The debut album from Montreal duo Purity Ring defies definability. Airy, synth-pop, electro: each label is only a piece of the puzzle. The picture only becomes clear once one listens to their tracks.

“Obedear” is a subdued single full of the swirling, jangling pop  that Purity Ring is known for. Lead singer Megan James has a pristine nymph-like voice, yet sings lyrics like “tear our skin up out from the bottom.” Such contrast gives Purity Ring an eerie, unexpected presence. With each listen, new notes, beats, sounds, and feelings are discovered.

A surprising strength of this album is that it simply doesn’t make much sense. While the lyrics may be clear to the duo, listeners are faced with abstract verses filled with word associations unlikely to be endorsed by Webster’s Dictionary. The line in “Amenamy,” “plug up your wormholes and give them/to feeders and spirits be freer” is just one of the many examples of Purity Ring’s avant-garde lyricism.

While the songs share similarities—which could also be a point of criticism— the album altogether is nothing short of breathtaking. Best listened to with a beer, comfy clothes, and preferably outside with a couple of friends, the wildfire word-of-mouth spread of Shrines has happened for good reason.

—Haley Kemp