Crystal Castles Embraced A New Movement In Debut "Crystal Castles"

In the indie and electronic stratosphere, Crystal Castles have a cult following. Their off-kilter sound and sonic attitude has earned them a dedicated fanbase, but they definitely had to work for it. Crystal Castles embraced a new movement in their debut Crystal Castles, bringing together indie and electronica in an innovative way that garnered their success.

Crystal Castles isn't like any album that came before it, but it definitely has a nostalgic touch. A lot of it feels like the soundtrack to a video game, helped by the 8-bit elements that are interspersed throughout the record. Opening track 'Untrust Us' immediately has those fuzzy synths, its odd atmosphere just strange enough to be more intriguing than off putting. 'Alice Practice' continues forward with the 8-bit motifs, continuing on the nostalgic train while 'Good Time' genuinely feels like something right out of a game. There's a whimsical tune about the music on Crystal Castles that connects it to your past.

While Crystal Castles were definitely pushing the norm with this record, you can tell they didn't quite have a full grasp on what they were doing just yet. Though different, Crystal Castles really isn't very interesting. It bounces between smooth tracks like 'Crimewave' and more edgy songs like 'Through The Hosiery,' but nothing really sticks out. Some songs like 'Reckless' have good ideas and do sound different from the rest, but nothing feels particularly stellar about them. Crystal Castles were very much still in the process of developing their sound, which became much more focussed and effective with their later efforts.

Crystal Castles embraced a new movement in their debut Crystal Castles, not nailing down a sound perfectly but laying down the foundations for something much more effective that garnered their dedicated fan base. Every band starts somewhere; not everyone starts off on a high.

Favorite Track: Reckless

Least Favorite Track: Magic Spells

Rating: 70 / 100

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