Austra: Olympia

Have you ever seen a goth dance? Not the 1980s-style goth that shuffles bemoaningly, but the modern, Topshop-clad goth? Well, the modern goths threw down their gauntlets and sang "hallelujah!" when the bewitching Austra came on the scene in 2011 with their dark and brooding debut album, Feel It Break. Now, on Olympia, the voodoo priestesses summon the spirits of house on Painful Like, Annie (Oh, Muse You) and lead single Home. Katie Stelmanis's classically trained voice continues to chill and haunt even on the balmy, Caribbean-influenced We Become. The dramatic strings are cast aside this time and their upbeat melancholy is a sermon for the darkened dancefloor. Olympia is an eclectic affair that doesn't hamper Austra's cool exterior.
austramusic.com
Download: Home, Painful Like, Fire, We Become