“A year and a half after Purity Ring surfaced with the song "Ungirthed", the young Edmonton, Alberta, duo has released a proper debut, a compulsively listenable collection of dubbed-out retro-futuristic indie pop. Shrines is not about range, offering instead subtly different versions of a single, near-perfect idea.”
“This Canadian duo composed their spectral electro-pop debut by writing tracks back and forth via e-mail over hundreds of miles. That sense of distance permeates the music: dark, mutable, likably repetitive synth whirr that recalls artfully creepy bands like the Knife. Instrumentalist Corin Roddick makes atonal friction, and singer Megan James’ piercing vocals balance the […]”
“Purity Ring's approach to synth pop on Shrines blurs the line that separates dark and cute. While it brings the new LP some unique qualities, the overall experience of these eleven tracks is a bit one-dimensional.”
