With their second album Moon Tides, Portland duo Pure Bathing Culture showed how they can make some really gorgeous and dreamy pop music. Following that with ‘Pray For Rain’, the pair have tightened up their sound a bit, and added a bit more obvious structure to their songwriting, without compromising what has already given them a cult following among 6 Music audiences and the like. There are some outright winners on here, especially the title track itself, which keeps the big sound but adds a sharper edge. ‘Darling, Save Us’ is essentially a more vulnerable song but still more focused than before, while ‘She Shakes’ is a pure pop nugget. So if you’re after some electro pop with a bit more depth, you’d be well advised to ‘Pray For Rain’ later on this month!
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
