Austra-Feel it Break
There seems to be an influx of late of female vocalists venturing into electronica laced alternative music, and Austra is a great illustration of this trend. Her album, Feel it Break, has an easygoing vibe that highlight her otherworldly quality.
Like a combination of Florence and the Machine and Oh Land, Austra managed to deftly tread the line between generic alternative and innovative uses of electronic stylings. Rather than overcompensate with heavy synthesizers and backbeats, she has chosen to integrate softer and more melodic synth beats that enhance her songwriting.
More importantly, the album has great flow. Increasingly it is becoming difficult to craft a fluid album with more musicians focusing on singles rather than on a holistic sound. Austra again succeeds in having a continuous sound that makes her record accessible to any listener.
That does not mean however, that there are not stand out tracks. For instance, The Choke is a standout with its dramatic flair, while The Future is light and breezy.
Other favorites are Spellwork, Beat and Pulse, The Beast, and The Noise.
