#2. Purity Ring - stardew
As usual, the top of the Countdown a battleground, where heavily streamed songs with potent hooks and choruses battle for supremacy. This year's #2 is a returning artist from 2015 in Purity Ring, who took the top spot with "Heartsigh" that year. The band almost cracked in 2017 with standalone single "Asido", and had I known of their existence in 2012 their song "Crawlersout" would've cracked the top 5 as well. They're essentially Countdown legends at this point, with a #1 and #2 under their belt. In fact, of all the bands on this year's list, I'd say I've listened to PR more than any of the others combined in the last decade. Their debut album Shrines was one that I listened to almost daily after I found it, while their second disc "Another Eternity" catapulted them into the national spotlight, reaching #1 on the top US Dance/Electronic chart and #26 on the Billboard 200. While Womb was able to climb to the top of the Dance/Electronic charts again, the album only scraped in the Billboard 200, debuting at 195 before falling out.
I can understand the fall off with this record, however. I remember eagerly spinning the record the day it was released, only to find myself scratching my head at the new sound that the band was trying to capture. For the past 8 years they've swayed between sparkling synths and dance beats, never really establishing a true identity but still subscribing to a mostly DIY sound, despite the amount of polish placed on the final product. The band revolves around producer Corin Riddick's synths and Megan James' impossibly high-pitched tiny voice, and the two always worked in tandem with James' quirky lyrics. It almost felt like that with Womb, the band was trying too hard to layer and polish the synths and sprinkles on top, rather than letting James do her thing. It almost felt like they were forcing it, and I honestly could not find another song to latch on to, or even spend any time with. It just feels weird to have a song that I love so much, from a band I adore, on a record that I couldn't stand.
But, all things considered, the band was brilliant in their release tactics for the album. They created a click puzzle on their website in mid-February, where if you made it through the levels you'd find a new track, "Pink Lightning". A few days later, February 18th to be exact, "Stardew" was released and I listened to it 11 times in just one afternoon. Obsession is an amazing thing, and sure enough I told myself "here's another Purity Ring" song that's going to ascend to the top of the charts. The song has a soft piano opening that is followed by a jangly music box sound effect that leads into the synths and to James. The song has a cute little poppy "da-da, da da" on the chorus that catches you off guard, but otherwise it's a pretty simple synth track that doesn't burst at you like a lot of their previous works. It's just a solid, fun song that follows the old Purity Ring method of success. The video is... terrifying? How is it that a lot of the songs on this year's Countdown have utterly bizarre and creepy videos? I don't even know how to describe it, you'll just have to watch for yourself.
The song amassed just 4.6m streams on Spotify while the video added another 400k views to the hit list for the group. The group had planned a tour over the spring/summer months, and I had definitely considered going having seen their live performances before. I think a lot of Purity Ring's identity is tied into that live aesthetic, but like everyone else on the planet they were unable to tour. As for our Countdown, it was actually a pretty pitched battle between White Reaper, Purity Ring, and our #1 which will be revealed tomorrow! See you then!
Favorite Line: "I know it seems far, but just be where you are"
Title: stardew
Artist: Purity Ring
Album: WOMB
Previous #2s
2019: The Broken Relics - Where The Creatures Roam
2018: The War On Drugs - Pain
2017: Future Islands - Ran
2016: Broods - Free
2015: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Cecilia and the Satellite
2014: Morning Parade - Alienation
2013: Aeon Zen - Warning
2012: Meshuggah - Do Not Look Down
2011: Owl City - Galaxies
2010: Periphery - Icarus Lives!
2009: August Burns Red - Rationalist
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