Another Eternity

Audio Mixer: Jaycen Joshua.Illustrator: Tallulah Fontaine.After the surge of ethereal electronic bands that arrived in the wake of Shrines, Purity Ring's Megan James and Corin Roddick wanted their second album to stand out from the pack. On Another Eternity, they do just that -- by becoming more pop. Where Shrines often felt exploratory, this album is direct, possibly because they worked in physical proximity for the first time, choosing Edmonton as a home base. Another Eternity makes the contrast between James' limpid vocals and Roddick's thumping beats more distinct, and distinctive, than ever, particularly on the gorgeous "Begin Again." Wedding poetic verses with soaring, insistent choruses that CHVRCHES would love to call their own, it's one of Purity Ring's most immediate songs. However, it isn't a compromise, and as James and Roddick look to even more popular styles of music for inspiration, they sound more unique. Their R&B and hip-hop leanings are clearer than they were on