Austra
The Scala, London
06/09/2011

O Canada, you schizophrenic nation you. For every artist you send our way that makes us want to slit our wrists (Celine Dion, Nickelback, the Devil spawn that is Justin Bieber et al); you give us a Metric, an Arcade Fire, a Tokyo Police Club, to keep us from the edge. What delights do you have waiting in the wings for us tonight? Should we tremble in fear and look for the nearest escape route? Thankfully, we know exactly why we’re here. Why we’re squashed against a wall and lacking any room to breathe. It’s for a band from the latter category, Toronto trio; Austra.

As singer Katie Stelmanis conservatively takes to the stage alone and takes her seat at the keyboard for the opening bars of ‘The Beast’, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d wandered into a classical recital. Gently stroking the keys for what sounds like something from the film ‘The Snowman’, it’s a far cry from the brooding electro which brought them to our attention earlier this year. But as Stelmanis’ towering operatic vocals kick in and the other members of the band arrive to form the rhythm section to this ramshackle, yet achingly cool ensemble, it all fits into place.
 
Getting into gear with ‘Hate Crime’, it’s clear that that Austra are here to make us move and not dwell in the dark, mixing their sinister synths with distorted bass lines to create something devilishly danceable. Brooding their music may be but it’s anything but sombre as they hit full swing with ‘Lose It’ and ‘The Choke’, layering vocals across bouncy tempos and painting the stage with flailing arms.
 
Gradually working their way through the majority of debut album ‘Feel It Break’, it’s difficult to decide whether Austra belong in a cave or a club but they’d be perfectly at home and absolutely mesmerising in whichever you choose. Thank you Canada, that’s Bryan Adams excused – outstanding.
 
Michael Consagra