In a chat about the formation of their latest record, cult band Purity Ring said Zelda was among the video games that inspired the new album.
Zelda was among the video games that inspired cult band Purity Ring to create their boldest project yet. The Canadian electronic duo’s new self-titled album is said to play out like the soundtrack to a fantasy quest, complete with heroic arcs, shifting worlds and a hopeful vision of life after ruin, according to critics.
Consisting of vocalist Megan James and multi-instrumentalist Corin Roddick, the pair built their reputation across three records of moody, slow-burning electronic pop.
They became known for eerie lyrics steeped in dark imagery, but have also ventured into pop’s mainstream – producing tracks for Katy Perry’s Witness, reworking Lady Gaga’s Applause into a sinister floor-filler and teaming up with rapper Danny Brown on his snarling 25 Bucks.
Their latest work pushes that duality even further, combining their gothic leanings with the expansive optimism of classic gaming soundtracks.
Megan told NME about the gaming inspiration behind their new album: “This record is about trying to build a kinder world out of the rubble of a broken one.
“That’s a big part of where our heads were when we were making it.”
Corin, who has been obsessed with video games since first playing Pokémon Red on the Game Boy in the 1990s, added about the joys of gaming: “It was the first time I was transported to a world bigger than the console in my hands. We realised early on that the music we were making fit with that sense of discovery.’
Megan, who grew up playing Mario with her three older brothers, became even more serious about gaming after immersing herself in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the existential NieR: Automata.
She added: “Those games made me think differently about grief, connection and resilience.”
Artist Mike Sunday has designed characters to go with Purity Ring’s new album.
The band revisited Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy X, alongside The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Atlus’s upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio, to deepen the atmosphere on the album.
Corin saidL “The best stories in games are about resisting fascism to some extent. It’s a power fantasy – imagining yourself making a difference.”
Megan added: “People say games are escapist, but there’s real power in imagining how things could be. Finding comfort in hope, rather than despair, is important. Joy is a valuable part of any struggle.”
Purity Ring will be released on 26 September via The Fellowship.
Zelda inspired cult band Purity Ring to create their boldest project yet
