Album Review: Austra’s Hirudin Is An Elegant, Middle Finger To Toxic Love
Is there an elegant way to be heartbroken? This is a question I ask because, so often, we discuss being hurt as if there is a dignified, graceful way to respond to someone who has emotionally steam-rolled you. Yet, Austra’s HiRUDiN might be the closest humanity has ever gotten to elegantly tell someone to go f**k themselves, except for Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s letters to each other before their duel. (Honestly, read them. They are deliciously petty!)
Austra – Risk It (Official Video)
From “All I Wanted” to “I Am Not Waiting,” Austra mulls over the loss of a love that never really loved her back. Absolutely, everyone, at least once, has looked back at an ex and thought, “Was I possessed by stupid? How could I have DATED YOU!” During my recent podcast interviews with Savannah Cristina to almondmilkhunni, we discussed how self-love really does alter who you let enter in your life to “love” you. It is a powerful lesson that Austra learns throughout songs such as, “Risk It” and “Messiah.”
Austra – Anywayz (Official Video)
If I could sum up HiRUDiN in two words: confronting toxicity. Austra amplifies her futuristic sound from her last album. Future Politics, and makes listeners feels like they are taking a synth-waved spaceship into her soul. If her last record was a command for a society to rebuild, this album has her asking herself to do the same. In essence, she is like that old, wise Rumi quote, ““Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Not that these corona times have NOT showed us the world needs a serious, social overhaul. Yet, part of growing up, is realizing you, literally, cannot care about THE WORLD, at least, not without caring for yourself. Thus, Austra puts on some stunning, operatic vocals to sage away bad, love choices and create a good album. HiRUDiN comes out May 1.
