Albums to watch

Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles

Second self-titled album from the Toronto-based electro duo

ADM rating[?]

7.2

Label
Fiction
UK Release date
28/05/2010
  1. 9.0 |   musicOMH

    It's a bold, dramatic, more than a little screwed-up and stunningly exciting statement
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  2. 9.0 |   Rave Magazine

    Of all the trendy, over-hyped bands of the last few years, I’d never have guessed Crystal Castles would be the ones to make it out unscathed with a brilliant second album
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  3. 9.0 |   God Is In The TV

    Ethan has captured Alice's voice and bits of both their souls, trapped it in machines and valves and amps, and now the two of them are letting it escape one bit at a time
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  4. 8.5 |   Pitchfork

    As rewarding as this new album is, it's even more impressive when you consider its context: Crystal Castles may have come on at the tail-end of the blog-house/nu-rave/French-touch mini-rage, but they've now transcended it, moving from scene linchpin to indie stars
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  5. 8.5 |   Prefix

    The group's bleak, sinister quality has always been one of its best assets, and in humanizing themselves, even in the record's shinier latter half, the musicians take on a slightly stronger shadow
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  6. 8.0 |   Spin

    By dispensing with empty bravado, Crystal Castles reveal a depressive, darkwave charisma
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  7. 8.0 |   Bowlegs

    Crystal Castles have upped their game considerably, from noisy neighbours, to your number one party guests
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  8. 8.0 |   PopMatters

    They’ve made a bigger, denser, more accessible record but in so doing, have not lost sight of their strengths—rather, those strengths now shine through even more clearly
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  9. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    Might just have found a way to elude their haters and continue on making dance music that many people would be piss scared to dance to
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  10. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    It's hard work, granted, but there's gold here if you're willing to dig
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  11. 8.0 |   The Times

    The cacophonous distortions of Doe Deer aside, a poppier direction is perceptible here
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  12. 7.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Much more inviting and entrancing, ostensibly welcoming everyone in to their non-stop glitch-pop dance party. And what a tempestuous party it turns out to be
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  13. 7.0 |   Tiny Mix Tapes

    It presents very little in the way of new twists or turns for the duo, choosing instead to focus on the same aesthetics offered the first time around
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  14. 7.0 |   Independent on Sunday

    Clearly, this is one electro album that will never be left playing in hair salons or hotel lobbies, but that's fine
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  15. 7.0 |   Sydney Morning Herald

    Provides the louche soundtrack for the sort of party that would take days to recover from
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  16. 7.0 |   NME

    Awkward, intractable, occasionally brilliant, always human
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  17. 7.0 |   The Observer

    A fuller, less fractured and much more satisfying record than its predecessor
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  18. 7.0 |   The Digital Fix

    Despite lacking some of the blood, sweat and tears of their debut its progression highlights that this duo are not short of ideas or ambition
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  19. 6.0 |   State

    The highlights are astounding, yet few and far between, and you’ll just have to get past Alice Glass’ high-pitch, slightly demented MC act first. Proceed with caution
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  20. 6.0 |   The Sunday Times

    On songs such as Birds and Pap Smear, Kath’s necromantic soundscapes and Glass’s blank-eyed vocal emissions become genuinely terrifying
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  21. 6.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    Crystal Castles may have lost some of the old romance and enigma, but turns out they’re good enough songwriters to get away with it, at least part of the time
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  22. 6.0 |   The Guardian

    Feels a little stranded, not quite pulling off the icy, slightly scary pop one suspects is the intention – good enough, but no Ladytron or the Knife
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  23. 6.0 |   The Independent

    Alice Glass's sensuous vocal murmurs with the waspish synth buzzes and undulating electronic stutters from which Ethan Kath sculpts the electropop grooves.
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  24. 6.0 |   Uncut

    Print edition only

  25. 6.0 |   Q

    Print edition only

  26. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    They’re still abrasive and diffident, and now Crystal Castles show they can be seductive as well
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  27. 6.0 |   FasterLouder

    Although there are fleeting moments of creativity, Crystal Castles have disappointingly failed to produce the masterpiece that fans were anticipating
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