Crystal CastlesWhen the opening gasps of Plague pulse through the speakers, it sounds like Alice Glass' voice is being beamed in from outer space on the eve of the techno apocalypse. Or something of the like. Crystal Castles' third record is possessive, haunted and full of despair. It's also probably their most tonally cohesive release to date, with the recorded balance the pair have found a reflection of their one-take focus in the studio.
Away from the chiptune 8-bit crazy of their debut and the electro hysterics of their second release, this third offering holds fully-fledged and listenable songs (well, except for Insulin), and is really their first steps towards becoming a mature, multifaceted electronic act, albeit an incredibly twisted one. This is revealed further by the album's early restraint; you have to wait six tracks for an utter banger to expose itself. But when the Faithless-nod Sad Eyes drops, it holds enough power in its simple keyboard note progression to level a large tent of munted punters. Soon after, Transgender is turning on the screws once more, and it's here, in the second half of the record that (III) really builds on the early foundations set. There are nods to '90s trance and '00s minimal, while techno elements from both decades make sure that everything is kept honest. All of a sudden, you've experienced the LP that the Toronto duo have long been threatening to make.
If the Mayans are right and we're indeed mere weeks away from impending doom, then you'd best get this album and crank it loud. A fitting soundtrack to the end of the world if ever there was one.
