Lead singer Katie Stelmanis sounds to me like a female version of Anthony Hegarty from Anthony And The Johnsons. There is no hint of mimic. I just instantaneously thought of them when I started to listen to the new album and specifically track 2 'Lose It'. Austra have got some weird and wonderful dark synth tinged pop madness going on along the lines of the Knife but once again there is no plagiarism or copying involved in this. The new wave influences are ever present, resting nicely in the background so as not to overpower what is a thoroughly modern production.
I adore the break-beat spangly synth of 'The Future' and the macabre wonderfulness that is the opening song 'Darken Her Horse'. The programming is superb and the compendium really feels like a whole entity, something that all great albums really must have. The best thing about Austra has to be Katie's voice. She had a classical operatic upbringing and it really shows in her ability to lift the words almost mid air and twist the sound any way she sees fit. Gorgeous.
5/5
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