Music review: Crystal Castles - II (2010)

The latest addition to my favourite list and probably the only thing here that can be remotely categorized as "modern pop". Very remotely, though, especially compared to their first album.

While said first was great, it was heavily front loaded and not very cohesive, a collection of singles significantly varying in sound, atmosphere and accessibility. That second took out the colder and more abrasive elements (compare "Alice Practice"/"Xxzxcuzx Me" with "Fainting Spell" and "Magic Spell" with "Celestica") while leaving most of the bubbly bass lines behind to focus on an ethereal wave/dream pop sound mixed with hints of power electronics harshness; part of the so-called witch house trend, apparently.

The result is tight as a drum, with much less filler and a unifying sound that finally makes for a full album experience worth mentioning. That mix of hard coldness and haziness is something I'd associate with a bad winter in the Cyberpunk/Shadowrun franchises and the nightclub scene from Lain, complete with futuristic amphetamine and maybe a dash of cyberpsychosis.

Yet, despite losing the aforementioned warm bass lines, most tracks can take control of your body and force it to move like you're in a one-man underground rave. Which I absolutely adore!

Also love the way they intentionally chose an extra harsh track as opener, as a "going deeper underground" statement and as a way to scare the normals their first effort had attracted. Similar to what Peste Noire did with Folkfuck folie, in a way.

Only criticism that made me waver between 9 and 10 is that "Not in Love" really breaks the perfect combo by being noticeably worse/more boring and that I don't really get the "I Am Made of Chalk" closer.