Perhaps it’s the gloomy winter weather. Or perhaps it’s because every time turn on the radio it’s like I’m suddenly trapped in self-help pop hell, but I’m totally feeling the visceral industrial pull of Austra’s new single, “Beat & The Pulse”.
What is Austra? It’s a new band led by Katie Stelmanis, a classically-trained Canadian rock musician with an operatic voice who may or may not be shawl-twirling witchdom’s heir apparent (ie. she sounds a bit goth). The band recently signed to Domino Records and is preparing to release their debut album, Feel It Break, on April 17. In the meantime, have a listen to the “Beat & The Pluse” single and if you like what you hear, watch its NSFW video after the jump.
Austra 2011 tour dates:
Feb 12 – Vancouver @ Goody
Feb 15 – Seattle @ The Crocodile
Feb 16 – Portland @ Holocene
Feb 18 – San Francisco @ Milk Bar
Feb 19 – Los Angeles @ Echoplex
Feb 25 – New York @ Santos Party House
Feb 26 – Brooklyn @ Glasslands
March 10 – Toronto @ Wrongbar
March 30 – Grenoble, France @ Le Ciel
March 31 – Metz, France @ Le Trinitaires
March 31 – Metz, France @ La Chapelle
April 1 – Paris, France @ La Machine
There was nothing operatic about that song.
I saw this band in London, they were the opening act for Hercules and Love Affair… and it was AMAZING!