OK, OK, I read Status Ain't Hood often. I think Tom Breihan writes accessible and engaging music criticism that's nerdy without being self-indulgent. He also knows how to appreciate an over-the-top rap song and that's definitely something I can get behind. So I have to admit that I wouldn't have known about Crystal Castles if I hadn't read this post earlier today.

I don't listen to enough dance or electronic music to really talk about Crystal Castles' peers or who their influences are. I wish I could, but I'm not going to try because it would just get embarrassing. I can say that Crystal Castles seem to enjoy deconstructing instrumentality to the point where it boarders on distracting noise and weaving it in to a more familiar dance framework. I wouldn't go so far as to that's their sound, at least from what I've heard, but they seem to have an appreciation for controlled chaos and they understand how to direct it. See: "xxzxczx me" on their myspace. You can really push your limits within a song if you give the listeners something to hold onto. That tends to be the beat in these situations, but then again, that's probably the most important anchor a listener can have.

I think Tom Breihan was right to mention screamy basement shows in his post. The vocals in a song like "Alice Practice" have the kind of urgency you'd hear from old Riot Grrl bands and the sort of strain necessary to match the chaos they're engulfed in. They sound reckless without sounding tormented or angry and that tends to be a line a lot of vocalists can't locate.

Crystal Castles own their low-fi sound and I think that's why Breihan's comparison to Justice is inapplicable and unfair. Justice sounds clean and clever, which may be why they've been featured in a recent Cadillac commercial. If we need to get technical, Justice is certainly electronic, but hardly dancey and they're appeal is somewhat predicated on their polish and definitely on their accessible grooves. Justice sounds like they belong in a 2,000 - 4,000 person club with booming bass and a synchronized light show. Crystal Castles sounds like they belong in a packed basement maxing out someone's PA. I just hope they don't lose that sound when they inevitably start selling out larger clubs.

Crystal Castles Myspace