7/10

Over these last few months, Montreal-based Clara O'Page's Debbie Christ project has been quick to establish itself as one of the more progressive names on the rise. Taking influence from the riveting ambitions of PJ Harvey and Patti Smith, O'Page has spent much of her initial tenure develop a distinctive sound to call her own, one that has already brought plenty of praise and acclaim her way. And with the buzz surrounding her material continuing to build, she delivers her eagerly-awaited debut album 'Tower', a record that looks to cement that dynamic ascent she has been on lately.

Much like what her first few singles displayed, 'Tower' is a heady mix of woozy grooves and more anthemic energy at every turn. Looking to channel an extremely explorative guise for her first full-length, she manages to create this whirlwind of bright and infectious ideas, all held together by her own charismatic persona throughout. Keeping the production rough around the edges, giving it this raw and almost live feel to it, her first batch of material highlights her most ingenuitive songwriting to date, delivering an unpredictable dive into her more enigmatic presence so far.

Tracks like 'Lust!' perfectly elevate the duality of her direction here. With this spritely pace intercut with more sombre moments, 'Tower' is a fresh and riveting array of guitar-driven efforts from start to finish. The Debbie Christ project may only have just gotten started, but the sound and style of it still has plenty of untapped potential just waiting to be unearthed.