WATCH AND SHARE “I AM NOT WAITING” HERE
ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM, HiRUDiN, OUT NOW VIA PINK FIZZ
BUY / STREAM HiRUDiN HERE
“…a collection of brutally honest and therapeutic tales of love, loss and moving on...it’s her strongest offering to date." - BeatRoute
“Stelmanis traces a deeply personal journey of growth, queerness and toxic relationships. Named after the anticoagulant released by leeches, HiRUDiN fittingly explores the parasitic nature of toxicity and the healing that it can call forth." - Exclaim!
“...the most engaging, vital and ambitious album of her career. HiRUDiN is fuelled and defined by her recent emotional turmoil...It’s one of the most beautiful breakup albums you’ll hear this year." - Tinnitist
“I’m Not Waiting” Video Still
Fresh from the release of her brilliant fourth album HiRUDiN in May, Austra (aka Katie Austra Stelmanis), today shares the video for “I Am Not Waiting” directed by Trevor Blumas and starring Sheida Arbabian. On “I Am Not Waiting”, over ESG-style basslines, Stelmanis’ voice cuts through like a beacon singing the refrain ‘I’m over you’ repeatedly.
"Trevor and I have been collaborating for a while now on a few different projects so he's got a really good understanding of the themes across HiRUDiN and ‘I Am Not Waiting’ in particular,” says Stelmanis. “Given the limitations we were faced with because of Corona, I let him have free reign to do what he wanted here. I'm thrilled with the result, it's so nice collaborating with someone you can fully trust to represent your work."
WATCH AND SHARE “I AM NOT WAITING” HERE
"The video for ‘I Am Not Waiting’ takes a cue from Katie's lyrics about escaping from a toxic situation and reaching a point where enough is enough,” says Blumas. “The video specifically is about breaking free from the layers of superficiality that is often applied to or imprinted upon us in today's hyper-image culture, in the age of face apps and AR. These devices often skew us from seeing each other for who we actually are. I find there is an exceptional amount of bravery and boldness in stepping outside of certain social expectations of how we present ourselves by being seen as vulnerable and exposed."
While Austra’s third album, 2017’s Future Politics, was concerned with the external power structures that shape society, HiRUDiN points inward, tracing a deeply personal journey towards regeneration, dealing with the fallout of toxic relationships, queer shame, and insecurity along the way. Named after the peptide released by leeches that is the most potent anticoagulant in the world, HiRUDiN is about the importance of healing the self, letting go of harmful influences, and finding the power to rebuild.
STREAM HIRUDIN HERE
WATCH THE VISUALISER FOR “MOUNTAIN BABY (FEAT CECILE BELIEVE)” HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “RISK IT” HERE
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “ANYWAYZ” HERE
HiRUDiN is available to buy on tangerine coloured vinyl and CD from the Austra Store and digitally. Buy: Austra Store | Digital
MORE PRAISE FOR HiRUDiN
"Austra's most inventive album yet" Evening Standard
“Delicious” - The Independent
“Brilliant” DIY
"Revenge-pop bangers" The Line of Best Fit
"A deep dive, but a cathartic one" Sunday Times
"Her strongest cuts in some time" Uncut
"One of the most underrated pop artists working today" Beats Per Minute