Austra
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
Alternative, beautiful & fierce electronica
Status:
Most recent release, Sparkle (remixes, 2011); most recent album of all-new material, Feel It Break (2011)
See also:
Austra's siteThe Ectophiles' Guide's page for Katie Stelmanis's solo work
Comparisons:
Katie Stelmanis's solo work, The Knife
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Katie Stelmanis's new band Austra is absolutely brilliant. It's more electronic (well, more *traditionally* electronic) than her solo album Join Us, so if you don't like that kind of thing, it might not be for you. But if it is, this is massive. (lotterose @ gmail . com)Similar to Katie Stelmanis's solo work, but catchier, more danceable. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Comments about live performance:
Saw Austra opening for Tune-Yards outdoors in Hudson River Park, NYC. I couldn't see well so I just got glimpses of the band based on when/how people in front of me moved. Katie Stelmanis had this way of moving her arms while singing that sort of made me think of a witch conjuring spells. I think on a smaller stage with better sightline it would be mesmerizing. (7/2011, JoAnn Whetsell)
Recommended first album:
Feel It Break is their debut
Recordings:
- Feel It Break (2011)
- Sparkle (remixes, 2011)
Feel It Break
Release info:
2011—Domino Recording Co.— WIGCD270
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Katie Stelmanis
Maya Postepski
Dorian Wolf
Guest artists:
Damian Taylor—frequency harmonization, levels balancing, tone mixing
Anna-Sophia Vukovitch—violin (10)
Anissa Hart—cello (10)
Ewan Kay—trombone (9)
Carmen Elle—guitar (10, 11)
Produced by:
Austra; Mike Haliechuk co-produced tracks 1 and 4
Comments:
Another exciting new discovery this year. Lead singer Katie Stelmanis sounds a bit like Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine) but not as shout-y. Katie has more control with her voice, which is easier on my ears. :-) Backing that wonderful voice are these dark, sometimes foreboding soundscapes. A few tracks are a little repetitive, but that's a small gripe. This excellent album will surely be one of the best of the year, for me. (lasherboy@gmail.com)NPR's Robin Hilton uses the words "strange," "moody" "haunting" "unsettling and alluring," "sleek analog synths," and "throbbing, beat-heavy mix" in her review. I can't really think of anything to add except "excellent." (JoAnn Whetsell)
One of the best albums of the year. (gordodo@optonline.net, jonwesleyhuff@gmail.com)
Further info:
Austra contributed a cover of The Strokes' "Alone, Together" to the Stereogum album Stroked: A Tribute to Is This It (2011).
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
