Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles II CD Review

Alice Glass- Vocals

Ethan Kath- Producer/Songwriter

The second album released by Crystal Castles earlier on in 2010 boasts a fourteen-track array of matured synths, enticing samples and distorted vocals. These are very similar to that of what Ethan and Alice have been loved and hated for after the release of their first album in 2007. This also happened to be Self Titled and received criticism from the press about alleged unauthorised use of other artist’s material in their music.

Initially, the first track ‘Fainting Spells’ hypnotizes you with a looped sample of a somewhat crude nature, with the inevitable build up to a crash of frenzied sounds and loops that provide a promising insight into what the rest of the album has to offer. Contrasting to the introduction of the album, the second song ‘Celestica’ offers an unseen and noticeably melancholic approach to the listener with dreamy synths and tones. These compliment Alice’s vocals brilliantly to create various possible connotations behind the track itself with ideas such as a lost love, or being far away from home with lyrics such as “when its cold outside, hold me, don’t hold me”.

This rare display of a contradictive style to what crystal castles are renowned for in the form of ‘Celestica’ is soon eradicated and forgotten with the furiously fast paced third track ‘Doe Deer’. Welcomed by an ongoing bass riff and frantic electronic sounds, the song gives you an innate drive to move to its unworldly and seemingly alien beats, reminding one that the album you’re listening to is no other than Crystal Castles. Although there is such a contrast in the two tracks ‘Celestica’ and ‘Doe Deer’, Ethan and Alice display a commendable, dynamic approach to their music that could leave critics gob smacked.

Tracks featured in the album such as ‘Birds’, ‘Pap Smear’ and ‘Baptism’ provide an expected, familiar side to the album that previous Crystal Castles fans will be so fond of with their ubiquitous electronic madness layered with distorted howls, shouts and screams. This ultimately leaves everyone enthralled and captivated by the album with its infallible use of dynamics and aura of maturity from Alice and Ethans previous work.

Overall, my personal favourite in the album is titled ‘Year of Silence.’ This track is yet another phenomenal display of dark, mysterious and melancholic sounds that have been introduced into the album, with effective use of sampling from the work of Sigur Ros that gently caress the drum patterns that are prevalent throughout most of the track.

Conclusively, the Self Titled Crystal Castles album that is the second to have graced their discography is a work of art with the application of dynamics between fast paced hysteria with ethereal, heavenly tones. Inspirationally, it shows the listener just what can be done with electronic instruments and software as Electronica as a music genre slowly engulfs the music scene of today.

By Aaron Finlayson.