Emotional, layered and surprisingly grounded for a duo that’s always lived in the clouds.

After a decade of exploring surreal synth-pop and dreamy electronics, Purity Ring’s self titled album, Purity Ring, feels like a reset button. It’s not a total reinvention, but it’s definitely a moment of reflection. Across 13 tracks and 37 minutes, the duo peel things back, lean into atmosphere and let the emotions spill through the production instead of the lyrics.

The opener, “relict,” sets the mood instantly with foggy pads, subtle percussion and Megan James’ voice floating just above it all. It’s haunting without forcing the drama. “many lives” and “part ii” start bringing back that familiar pulse, the kind that builds slowly before you even realize it’s got you. There’s a real push and pull happening across the first 3 tracks between the big synth layers and small intimate vocals.

By the time “place of my own” and “memory ruins” hit, the record starts to find its stride. The beats get heavier, but never clubby, more like a pulse felt deep in your chest. The production from Corin Roddick is tight and carries that emotional edge Purity Ring has always done well. You can hear them growing up a bit here, less interested in catchy one liners and more focused on how everything feels together.

“between you and shadows” and the piano ballad, “mj odyssey,” bring some of the record’s best moments. They are warm, cinematic and weirdly comforting even when the lyrics sound distant. “glacier ::in memory of rs::” closes things out like a soft landing, equal parts nostalgic and unresolved.

If earlier Purity Ring albums were about mystery and fantasy, Purity Ring feels human. It’s less about big hooks and more about atmosphere, about sitting in a feeling instead of escaping it. Some parts drift a little too far into mood over melody, but that’s kind of the point. It’s meant to linger.