Named for the Latvian goddess of light, Austra is an electronic band from T… Read Full Bio ↴Named for the Latvian goddess of light, Austra is an electronic band from Toronto, ON, Canada comprising Katie Stelmanis (principal songwriter), Maya Postepski, and Dorian Wolf. They débuted with the single "The Beat and the Pulse" (November 2010, One Big Silence), and their sophomore record, "Olympia", was released in June 2013 on Domino). The group released their latest album, "Future Politics", in January 2017.

Their debut album, "Feel It Break" (May 2011, Domino), came after a long sequence of bands for Stelmanis, representing a near ten year musical progression performing as an artist, then fleshed-out by a full band. The album made into several year-end critics' lists; notably, both the Toronto Star and New York named it the best album of 2011, with the former calling it "an outright stunner". Stereogum named Austra a Band to Watch on March 14, 2011.
Their sophomore album "Olympia" was released on June 18, 2013, from which the first single Home was released on March 7, 2013.
In 2014, the band released their first EP, "Habitat EP".

More settled and dominant than ever, the band's sound represents Stelmanis' influences tightened into a shiny metal ball — pianos give way to keyboards as songs build and pull, their urgent, dark melodies arpeggiating through multiple synthesizers, wrapping themselves around Stelmanis' voice.

Sites: Official Site

Identity
Austra Lyrics

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Enter the flirt gates and breathe
I want to be true, there's no need
The pressure you built on my head and my shoulders
It threatens to be what I'm seeing
In you.

Capture my breath, don't mislead
Sink to my head, it's the need

You are my headache, my seed in the middle
And I won't be ready to live
For you.

Mother won't battle the name
Other get's stable that way,
Mother won't battle the name
And other gets stable that way.

Creature don't keep me from dreaming,
A fantasy life, that's worth keeping,
Strangers don't know me, but love to control me
It's you that their hoping to see
From them.

Mother won't battle the name
Other get's stable that way,
Mother won't finish the game
And other gets stable that way.

Come, let's play.
Come, let's play.

Mother won't battle the name
While other get's stable that way,

Mother won't finish the game
And other gets stable that way.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Austra's song "Identity" seem to revolve around themes of pressure, manipulation, and the struggle to maintain one's true identity in the face of external influences. The opening lines "Enter the flirt gates and breathe / I want to be true, there's no need" suggest that the singer is entering into some sort of social situation, but feels confident in their own sense of self. However, the following lines "The pressure you built on my head and my shoulders / It threatens to be what I'm seeing / In you." indicate that someone is trying to impose their own expectations or identity on the singer.

The chorus provides further insight into this struggle, with the repeated lines "Mother won't battle the name / Other gets stable that way." It seems that the singer is grappling with the expectations of their family or society ("Mother") versus their own desires and sense of self ("Other"). The repetition of this line suggests that this is a common conflict for the singer.

These themes of identity, pressure and manipulation are explored further in the second verse, with the lines "Creature don't keep me from dreaming, / A fantasy life, that's worth keeping, / Strangers don't know me, but love to control me / It's you that their hoping to see / From them." Here, the singer seems to be struggling with external forces that are attempting to shape their identity or control them in some way.

Overall, "Identity" is a complex exploration of the struggle to maintain one's true identity in the face of external pressures and expectations. The lyrics suggest a strong sense of individuality and the desire to be true to oneself, but also acknowledge the challenge of staying true to oneself in a world that often seeks to impose its own expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

Enter the flirt gates and breathe
I want to explore my identity and take risks;

I want to be true, there's no need
I want to be authentic and genuine without feeling forced;

The pressure you built on my head and my shoulders
I feel weighed down by societal expectations and norms;

It threatens to be what I'm seeing In you.
I worry that conforming to expectations will cause me to lose my uniqueness, just like everyone else;

Capture my breath, don't mislead
I want to find my own way, but I need guidance and support;

Sink to my head, it's the need
I am searching for my own identity, but I don't know where to start;

You are my headache, my seed in the middle
I feel torn between following societal expectations and pursuing my own identity, which causes me distress;

And I won't be ready to live For you.
I cannot live my life solely for the sake of conforming to expectations;

Mother won't battle the name Other get's stable that way,
My mother doesn't want to challenge societal norms because it's easier to conform;

Creature don't keep me from dreaming, A fantasy life, that's worth keeping,
I want to chase my dreams and create a life that feels authentic to me, even if it is unconventional;

Strangers don't know me, but love to control me
I feel like I am judged and controlled by people who don't know me or my true identity;

It's you that their hoping to see From them.
People want me to conform to their expectations, which goes against my true identity;

Come, let's play.
Let's explore our identities together with an open mind and heart;

Mother won't finish the game And other gets stable that way.
My mother doesn't want to challenge societal norms because it's easier to conform, even though it may not be fulfilling in the long run.

Contributed by Stella G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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