Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Purity Ring

By the time Canadian duo Purity Ring released their debut album, Shrines, last summer, they had already amassed a mountain of hype that would intimidate most bands. The young group, consisting of vocalist Megan James and producer/arranger Corin Roddick, not only met that hype head on, but also produced one of the strongest, most captivating debut albums of any band in recent memory. Their style is rooted in electronic music, pulling from synthpop influences and crafting sweeping, dream pop layers juxtaposed with sometimes brash, house beats and hip hop syncopation. James’ voice is often augmented and distorted, yet beautiful and haunting; her lyrics etherial, vulnerable, and poetic. As a live band, Purity Ring has polished a transformative performance style. Their songs evolve on the fly, and Roddick recreates the dense, layered tracks using a custom-built sound and light control module. Purity Ring is one of the most critically beloved bands in recent years and for good reason: they’re pretty spectacular.

Though it seemed like Purity Ring exploded out of nowhere (or, more fittingly, came straight out of the internet), the group has been working hard for nearly three years. The quickness and immediacy of their success does often make one forget that they haven’t been making festival rounds for long, however, and this summer’s Bonnaroo will be their first appearance at the festival. The group is a strong, late addition to a scene that’s starting to wear. The chillwave bands have largely gone extinct and the indie-electro scene is gravitating towards dubstep. The strength of Purity Ring’s artistry makes this fact irrelevant, however. They’re one of those rare bands with the ability to deliver on a level that transcends genre and scene constraints, liberating them to live on for years to come. We certainly can’t wait to hear what they have in store next, and they’re one of our absolute must-see bands at Bonnaroo!

Listen | “Fineshrine”

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Watch | “Belispeak” (Official Music Video)