Album Review: Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

Originally published April 16, 2008 in The Orion

Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
Last Gang Records, 2008
4/5 stars

Crystal Castles travels high and low defeating aliens and zombies, all while performing the most advanced "Dance Dance Revolution" moves. On the self-titled album, the Toronto band that embedded an Atari 5200 sound chip inside its keyboard, turns video games into an electro-dance party.

The first level, "Untrust Us," is the boot camp where the player explores the environment and builds stamina for fighting demons. Pulsing beats and indistinguishable vocals create a mysterious ambiance

It is not until the fifth level, "Xxzxcuzx Me," that the player is challenged with an alien invasion. For a moment things calm down, but peace doesn't last long as shrieks of zombie encounters are heard in "Courtship Dating."

The player is on top of the world in the final level, but soft guitar strums and whispers make the victory bittersweet.

Crystal Castles keeps the music engaging throughout all 16 tracks by combining the cosmic touch of Daft Punk with the aggressiveness of Death From Above 1979.