Customer Reviews

Crystal Castles

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Crystal Castles took video game tonality to a whole new level with their self-titled debut. Simple melodies electronically spelled out in front of brilliantly executed club beats were all the convincing critics needed for stellar reviews. Although Crystal Castles was embraced exponentially more in Europe, they rode the coat tails of bands like Daft Punk and Justice into American clubs.

With their second self-titled album, Crystal Castles have maintained a great deal of that 8-bit Atari sound while expanding and evolving into something much more. It is possible fans may find their new samples a bit less endearing with decreased nostalgia for sounds of their childhood, but the duo made up of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass certainly have some tricks up their sleeves that are worth giving a chance.

Crystal Castles opens with "Fainting Spells," a sort of nod to the duo's previous work, relies on a great deal of classic samples while discernable lyrics remain absent. As soon as "Celestica" begins, however, it is clear Crystal Castles have opted for change. Low bit samples are replaced with shimmering synthesizers that float above Alice Glass' vocals. Rather than continuing this relaxed club feel into the body of the record, "Doe Deer" provides Crystal Castles with a chaotic twist on the very next track.

One of the shining moments of the sophomore album comes from a techno cover of Sigur Ros' "Year of Silence." With music that nearly defines the opposite of Sigur Ros' musical style, Jonsi's vocals blend perfectly with the rhythmic style Crystal Castles has created.

With their second self-titled album, there is certainly plenty of creativity full of sounds never heard before in popular music. By the time "I am Made of Chalk" closes the album, Crystal Castles have set themselves apart from the other electronic artists making names for themselves today. Crystal Castles will doubtfully become a household name anytime soon, but anyone capable of opening their minds to a bit of the obscure will be greatly rewarded with this record.

Similar Artists: Metric, Justice

Track Suggestion: "Celestica"

The first track on Crystal Castles' 2nd self-titled CD may be the perfect metaphor for the entire album. Fainting Spells starts as a cacophonous, screechy wall of noise, so immediately off-putting, you'll be tempted at first listen to yank the disc from your player and throw it, frisbee-style, at your local record store hipster's horn-rimmed spectacle covered eyes. However, if you're patient, within minutes, a slick hip hop groove within the song rises to the surface appearing only long enough for you to wrap your head around, and make sense of the noise before the song closes up around itself.

The rest of Crystal Castles (II) see-saws between catchier dancey songs and much more abrasive numbers. Regardless, Alice Glass' cryptic poetry echoes throughout, and repeated listens reveal a darkly subversive work which lets the adventurous listener into CC's strange and beautiful world of sound.

For some reason, I wasn't expecting such a good album. Maybe because there was no hype leading up to its sudden release. But this album is SOLID, the band has expanded its sound, using more techniques and some great melodies. If you like bands like Passion Pit, Yeasayer, Hot Chip, then give this album a listen - you won't be disappointed.

I listened to this album while I was hiking at a nature preserve, and I was struck by the following paradox: how could music that is so clearly made by modern machines remind me so much of nature?

Like nature, the music in the album is often chaotic, but always maintains a sort of harmony to it as well. It's sometimes harsh and sometimes soothing. It's beautiful and wild.

This is a "right brained" sort of album ... there are no catchy hooks to be found. This is intuitive, visceral music.

I am really digging this album. Really cool and very creative. It is hard to explain it. If you are looking for an album that sounds like the Robert Smith version of Not in Love this is not it. Robert Smith is Robert Smith not Crystal Castles but they do work well together.

Like the other poster had stated Empathy is really really cool, I would also gladly pay $10 for that one song. Baptism is creative as is Intimate. Some songs you have to get through a few annoyances before they get good but all in all 75% of this album I enjoy.

Try out Vanished on the first album also, if you like this album you'll dig that song as well. I took Vanished and put it at the begining of the album then took the Robert Smith version of Not in Love and put it at the end and have that as my playlist.

I want to start off by saying I really don't listen to much of this music type. But one day, I was hungering for something that was a completely different direction than my normal taste. I had just bought about 20 doom metal CD's in the last few months, and I had pretty much exhausted all the new artists I would find there for a while. So I was thinking there's got to be some good electronic music out there. Something that isn't your boring rave/techno pulsating beat we all know. I stumbled upon the "chiptune" genre, and while I thought many of those artists were pretty cool, most of them sounded a little too video-gamey and sounded like they were limiting themselves. So with the help of a good online radio program, I stumbled upon Crystal Castles. I kept playing their station and loved every song I heard. They seem to take the chiptune genre a bit further - while having some 8-bit sounds in there, they add more modern tones and vocals, more polished production, and their own unique sound and experimentation, making for a sort of indie-electro feel.

It's really hard to explain why I like this so much. It's just really good, really unique, and has attitude. It's for sure one of my favorite/most addicting albums of the year. I think for me it's just something so fresh and different - even fans of their first album seem to think so as well. There's just something magical about their sound - like you need some sort of special arcane understanding to enjoy it. I attribute it to a lucid dream if you will - the music can be dreamlike: surreal, otherworldly, and really bizarre at times, but so good, you don't notice how bizarre. But at the same time, it is clear, energetic, and distinct. You never want to wake up.

The first track I heard was "Baptism" - its intensity couldn't go unnoticed and got me hooked. Now though, I'd say my favorite tracks are "Violent Dreams," "Vietnam," "Suffocation," and "Pap Smear." "Not in Love" seems to be a very popular track as well... might as well list them all at this point.

Now, the reason this album gets 4 stars is because there are a few songs that are a bit too experimental for me. Unfortunately, I usually skip most of these, and I truthfully hate skipping tracks. The very first track, "Fainting Spells" being the prime example of this - a wall of twisted noise and agitating vocals will certainly test the listener's sanity, I know I questioned myself saying something like "What have I gotten myself into?" "Doe Deer" is another that is almost unbearable to listen to. "Birds" isn't very noisy, but I consider this song boring and extremely repetitive compared to the rest, so for me it's usually a skipper. "I Am Made of Chalk" may immediately turn the listener off but if he is patient for the first few seconds, it is a really nice mostly ambient track, with some crazy vocal manipulations but I think it proves to be a very good, albeit interesting track. I really wanted to give 5 stars, because the songs I do love are some of the best I've heard all year. If those first three tracks mentioned were as good as the rest, this would easily be a five-star album.

I have just ordered their first album, and cannot wait for more. These guys are some of the most exciting new musicians I have discovered in a while.

Also, check out the track Not in Love (feat. Robert Smith of The Cure) for some more pure amazing awesomeness.

If this was my introduction to Crystal Castles I would probably be writing a flawless review gushing over how amazing this release is.
While it is amazing, what initially drew me into Crystal Castles was just how over the top chaotic their first album was. And they toned it down!

While it makes for a more cohesive listen, and it shows that their taste and musical sensibilities have been heightened and refined, the unpolished "who gives a f**k" attitude of their first album is what made me like them in the first place. I feel like this album lost a bit of that in lieu of a more palatable sound. And while I appreciate the new sound, I was hoping for somethng a little wild and crazy. I don't know if want maturity from these guys. I'll take it, but I really want "WTF!!?!?".

That being said, buy this album, its great. But if you want something to make your ears bleed that sounds like a chainsaw cutting open a Colleco Vision you might want to check out the first one too.

-author

I still stand by my 3 star review of Crystal Castles' debut releas and the two statements I made: 1- That the debut was an unfocused ADD attack and, 2- These guys have talent but don't know where to focus it.

Well, I must not have been to only one to say so and it must have got back to Ethan and Alice. CC(II) is a mature, choseive, solid, listenable sophomore effort that is light years better than their debut. This is quite a feat for critically acclaimed debut artists. The sophomore release is either sink or swim (see Cut Copy's sophomore effort for sinker in my opinion) and CC are breast-stroking their way with their heads well above water.

"Celestica" is arguably the strongest track and a rightful choice for the first single. The rest of the album is in a similar vein: dark, forboding, and danceable. Think "Air War", "Crimewave", or "Magic Spells" from the debut but add a darker edge with slight sonic tweakings and you get the gist of it.

Self titling the sophomore release is brilliant. Some have called it douchebaggy or lazy but it had everyone talking and with music this good who needs an album title?

Not to say this isn't as abrasive as the last release because it is. It's finley crafted and thankfully devoid of all the 8-bit tomfoolery. The opener "Fainting Spells" is an aggressively brutal assault that breaks into a dance groove during it's final moments. "Doe Deer" is pitch perfect from its aggressive punk riff to it's painfully distorted vocals to it's perfect running time of 1:37. Other tracks of note are "Baptism", "Year of Silence", "Empathy", "Suffocation", "Pap Smear" and "Vietnam".

So, now that CC have produced a finely crafted mature sophomore release let's hope that Ethan and ALice have matured as individuals as well and stick around long enough to give us a third album.

you wanna take off in to a world of unknown and gasp and roll your eyes in your head like OH my god why havent I heard this sooner... yeah this is what this is all about.. sounds you wished you could have been listening to last week.

Great album, but not as easy to listen to as the first one.
The Atari/video game sound and feel of the first album isn't really the sound anymore. While missed, this isn't really a bad thing.
Where the first one seems to repeat itself, CCII is much more versatile.
While I find a about a handful of tracks I could completely do with out here, there are some I would absolutely recommend to the highest.
Such as:

-Baptism
-Year of Silence (an amazing Sigur Ros Remix)
-Empathy
-Pap Smear
-Intimate

Simply put there's a much broader spectrum on this album vs their last album which kept a steady pace, sound, and beat throughout most tracks.
The new sounds are great (in between the noise) and it may be a while before the cd leaves my car stereo.