AMS Album of the Week 5

Crystal Castles’ rise to fame has undoubtedly been rapid. From their debut album (I) in 2008 to their latest release (III), the band has attracted a huge fan base. They went from playing in dingy, underground bars to playing Reading this year.

With this rise, the band has matured. Their new album (III) is so much different yet so similar to their previous two albums. Whereas (I) has a more friendly feel and a simpler production value, (II) saw the band turn towards more harsh sounds, deeper bass and louder vocals. In essence, (III) can be seen as an extension of their previous work — we still have some computerized vocals and simple but strong drum beats, however this time round there’s something inherently sadder about the sound. In some songs we hear Alice Glass’ natural voice; a rare and harrowing thing.

When interviewed about it, Alice has cited oppression and dystopia as major influences for the album. We hear this in songs like the opener “Plague” and “Kerosene”. Both are bold and aggressive. There’s the slow build up of fading tones, vocals, then the drum beat and finally the huge synth sound, which is so characteristic of Crystal Castles’ songs. “Affection” keeps the big sound but slows down the beat, it’s an emotional song and in my opinion the best on the album. After ‘Affection’ you are plunged back into classic ‘Castles with the likes of “Insulin”, “Mercenary” and “Sad Eyes”. A noisy, electronic mix of heavily compressed vocals and dark drums.

The album closes with “Child I Will Hurt You”. I don’t think I can adequately describe it here, so I shall just say that it’s beautiful.

Throughout the album, you hear similarities between other electronic artists though, it’s almost as if (III) is a bit too late on the scene. Artists like Grimes and Purity Ring have perfected that big, dirty dance sound and it feels like Crystal Castles are just catching up.

There’s much to like about (III). It’s almost a perfect album, the only qualm is that they’ve lost some of the unique edge they once had. (III) doesn’t have iconic tracks like ‘Crimewave’ and ‘Celestica’, which defined the angry youth of the mid- to late-2000s.

However, if you were a fan of (I) and (II), you’ll like this new LP. If you weren’t a fan, then do give this a listen, either you’ll absolutely love it or become severely depressed.

Matt Proctor