Crystal Castles Album Review
New Electronic CD From Toronto Remixers Based on 1980’s Atari Games
Mar 31, 2008
On Crystal Castles, the self-titled debut from Toronto electronic act, pop hooks and electronic noise fuse with a busted Atari game to produce an album full of great electronic dance tracks amongst a mess of clutter.
Ethan Kath and Alice Glass formed Crystal Castles in 2003 in Toronto. Kath asked Glass to demo a microphone and the results, "Alice Practice", became their first completed track. Released later that year as a limited edition single and featured on the group’s MySpace page, interest in the band grew to the release of their first full album.
The band, who takes their name from She-Ra’s home in the 80’s He-Man cartoons, has been getting rave reviews. Rolling Stone magazine has called the band one to watch in 2008 and Yahoo Music UK has given first single “Courtship Dating” 8 out of 10 stars.
Their distinct sound comes from a modified keyboard, an Atari game and a lot of sampled noise. The result – an uneven album, but when they’re good, they’re masters of the universe.
Crystal Castles Adora – The Bad
While Crystal Castles contains some great tracks like the undeniable “Crimewave”, the album contains a lot of noise that becomes overwhelming and frustrating to listen to with repeated plays.
Some of the album sounds like waking up with a hangover and walking into a bustling arcade circa 1983 at peek time. On tracks like “Love and Caring”, the screaming and muffled noise becomes deafening and the true beauty of some of the stand out tracks become distant memories – blown to smithereens by rogue warships in a parallel universe.
Several tracks cram in so much muffled noise and screams they become mini horror film soundtracks that murder unsuspecting ears – “Alice Practice” happens to be one. It sounds like she’s practicing to play asteroids. “Xxzxcuzx Me”, another video game jam makes great background music to brainwash someone, otherwise skip it.
Crystal Castles She-Ra – The Good
Give this album time to grow. Listen all the way through then repeat the tracks without the heavy noise factor. Tracks like “Magic Spells”, “Good Time” and “Untrust Us”, fun robotic romps through dance land, bounce along with enjoyable lightness after the heavy beats of other noise-ridden tracks.
“Tell Me What to Swallow”, a bewitching lounge ballad cools the album down and “Air War” brings everything back into focus even if it sounds like a quest to find the princess and save the world from giant turtles.
“Courtship Dating”, a playful chant with echo returns to more danceable fun reminiscent of a late 80’s commercial jingle and early Moby output. But on standout track “1991” Crystal Castles fuse everything in their bag of tricks together to pure electronic perfection.
Tight dance beats, a fun feel and excellent production. If more songs like “1991” and the gorgeous ‘”Black Panther” appeared on Crystal Castles it could qualify as a greatest hits from this up and coming electronic act.
Crystal Castles have produced a killer album, fans of electronica and video game enthuriasts have finally found common ground - Sword of Protection no longer needed.
Fans of Crystal Castles should also check out Does It Offend You, Yeah.
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