THE TOP ALBUMS OF 2010 #12 - Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles

THE TOP ALBUMS OF 2010

#12 - Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles

Words by Dirk Calloway

Preface: we're slowly chipping away at my favourite albums of 2010. Each day I review another one, until we get to the all-important #1 spot. What we do then, I've no idea. There seems to be enough interest so far though, and I've got some great feedback from people so hopefully you've enjoyed it to date.

This is an out-there album. Recorded in shacks and churches, this is one of the most bi-polar records I've heard in a while. Some tracks lull you into a false sense of 'generic electro,' and then others hit you in the face with a glitchy 8-bit themed sledgehammer. Its frenetic nature reminds me of another highlight from Canadia last year: Scott Pilgrim.

Critics loved it, maybe best explained by Billboard here, if only because they use double-negatives to do so: "Very little of Crystal Castles doesn't work, resulting in one of the most accomplished electronic albums in recent memory." It's a furious album that can switch moods with little warning. It's an aggressive beast that has a gentle side. It's made by a woman and a man, who seem to be as comfortable raging as they are swooning in the moonlight. This collision of styles reaches its peak on Track #4: Baptism. I work in IT and this is the perfect song to get me typing in the morning. Oldschool blips and boops hit against Gatecrasher-styled trance riffs and they collide against a wonderously screamy Alice Glass. It's got a great video, so you should watch it:

I sort of want to stop writing here, because I'm not going to do this messed up masterpiece justice. I can see now it's going to get more and more fun to review these each day, and listening to Crystal Castles tonight has got me pumped for tomorrow. You should definitely do a few Youtube checks if you like what you hear above. These guys are consumate professionals, doing great work.

Tune in tomorrow for more. It's a local Kiwi act this time, unleashing fury upon their keyboards like they've never done before!