Rating: 8.4 March 3rd Last Gang Records Find It: Official Store
Megan James and Corin Roddick’s follow-up to Shrines could be billed as “polished” and “a glossier interpretation of Internet pop”, but here’s the thing: Another Eternity illustrates an entirely different dimension. Purity Ring’s alienated breaks and long-distance friction have been buried for compositions that flicker with more solidarity – vocal fluxes, mutated synths, and a paralyzing sense of depth that’s far from claustrophobic. Sure, “Heartsigh” and “Bodyache” sputter with FM-like tones, but they impale rather than float on and in these 35 minutes, Roddick’s craftsmanship is pure headphone ecstasy.
“Begin Again” flirts with EDM and WeDidIt clips, “Repetition” evokes Take Care, and “Dust Hymn” and “Stranger Than Earth” are visceral, out-of-body rap mixes that could easily spot a 16-bar verse. Instead, Another Eternity is James’ exposition. Her voice flutters alongside every trap swoon and bittersweet segue, and her narratives about “seasons” and “lonely deaths” pierce with her own reserved perspective (“Don’t be afraid if there’s no wind in my hair/ There’s a stillness left in there”). It’s still fodder for their Tumblr demographic, but rest assured, the duo’s revamped magnetism consistently pulls you up and in, making Another Eternity a transcendent example of staying power. — [Joshua Khan]
Listen: “Dust Hymn”, “Stranger Than Earth”, “Repetition”, “Begin Again” || Watch: “Push Pull”