Special Affections (Reissue)

First conceived in the summer of 2009 by Toronto-based multiplatform artist John O, while on a break from his post-punk band the D'Urbervilles, Diamond Rings burst into the scene with a series of singles and videos featuring green screen camera trickery, over the top choreography, and daring androgynous outfits and makeup. The videos received international praise; the singles, pressed in limited numbers, sold out in a matter of weeks. O'Regan says he came up with his new image and performance-art style in part to present his songs live in an entertaining way. Showcasing real human emotion and honest vulnerability is rare enough for a 24-year-old, let alone one who matches his eye shadow with his Air Force Ones while dancing about onstage with the reckless abandon of a teenager in the bathroom mirror. But there's something surprisingly mature shimmering beneath the glamour, hidden in John O's immediately iconic voice and whip-smart lyrics.