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STREET DATE: 04.23.10 | EMUSIC | AMAZON| INSOUND | ITUNES
RATE CRYSTAL CASTLES (II):
[STARRATER]
Crystal Castles debut eponymous LP respectively garnered them massive attention amongst electro indie circles. Alice Glass’s noisy punk vocals accompanied by spaced out gothic electronica differentiates the duo from other outfits like HEALTH or Salem. Though their debut record is devoted to experimentation, producer Ethan Kath maintains a healthy balance of noise rock and dark synth pop. More importantly, his most relentless dedication on the album is to provide songs that you can completely lose yourself in, until you’re dancing uncontrollably, oblivious of your surroundings. Crystal Castles’ sophomore record has entirely the same premise. Heck, it even keeps the same name.
More commonly known as Crystal Castles II, the album thrives off the duo’s knack for combining upbeat disco pop with haunted “cult” music. Crystal Castles show a lot of growth on this album; there’s less distortion and more fluid, coherent melodies. What is most noticeable is how Alice Glass has matured as a vocalist. There is an abundance of screaming and yelling on Crystal Castles’ first record to the point where it feels like gibberish. The songs on CCII are more subtle; Glass’s vocals have become delicate and unhurried.
The first single,”Celestica,” is synth heavy, accompanied by eerie, desolate lyrics. Glass’s voice sounds fragile and broken: “Have they cleansed you with chloride/and scrubbed behind the knees/has your body been hollowed by the breeze.” It sounds like Bat For Lashes meets Hercules & Love Affair. Though “Celestica” is bass heavy, tracks like “Pap Smear,” “Empathy,” and “Suffocation” are what’s destined for the dance floor; explosive, mind bogging dance grooves that range in dynamic and possess you instantaneously. Out of the 14 songs on the album, only on three does Glass become louder and more aggressive like she often did on the first Crystal Castles. But she performs them with such grace and a new found swagger that has made this electronic ensemble virtually unstoppable.
84 — [Rating Scale]
by on August 18, 2010 ‡ 2 reactions
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Best Songs of 2012: Winter
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New Yeasayer: "Henrietta"
New Childish Gambino: "Unnecessary" f/ ScHoolboy Q
New Azealia Banks: "JUMANJI" MP3
Wild Pitch: disco naïveté
Rec'd MP3: Purity Ring - "Obedear"
MP3: Major Lazer & Amber of Dirty Projectors - "Get Free"
MP3: Theophilus London & A$AP Rocky - "Big Spender"
Amazing: Florence + The Machine & Dev Hynes - "Never Let Me Go"
Check Out: Kirin J Callinan: "WIIW (Way to War)"
Check Out: MS MR - "Hurricane"
Sleep Over - "Romantic Streams" (CFCF Remix)
Download: Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2 Mixtape
Review: El-P - Cancer For Cure
Download: Nicolas Jaar's Essential Mix
Review: Santigold - Master of My Make-Believe
Review: Lower Dens - Nootropics
Review: Toro y Moi - June 2009
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Loved most of the album. I could still go without the crass voice on some songs, not very car friendly.
Loved most of the album. I could still go without the crass voice on some songs, not very car friendly
This really has to be one of my favorite albums of this year so far.
It grows on you the more you listen to it, and with most of the albums that have come out this year that have been absolutely incredible….
They all grow on and get better the more you listen. This year has been an incredible listening experience for music.
Including:
Circa Survive-Blue Sky Noise
Drake-Thank Me Later
Deftones-Diamond Eyes
Sleigh Bells-Treats
The Ghost Inside-Returners
http://safedates.blogandme.com/The-first-blog-b1/Survive-the-dating-jungle-b1-p3.htm Thanks for that awesome posting. It saved MUCH time
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