Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles (Fiction)

Ever since synth-wizard Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass released their first 7-inch as Crystal Castles in 2006, they’ve been on a mission to prove that they don’t give a fuck about anything. This sentiment runs through everything the band has ever done, from their abrasive production values to that famous, copyright-infringing T-shirt emblazoned with an image of a bloodied-up Madonna.

The thing that makes them special is that they manage to not give a fuck with more conviction than any of their contemporaries. Although Crystal Castles—confusingly, their second eponymous LP—has plenty of dreamy electro-pop sparkle, the duo chose to lead things off with the abrasively noisy “Fainting Spells”. It has almost nothing resembling a melody, and its near-three-minute run-time mostly consists of garbled screams and swirling synth fuzz.

“Fainting Spells” seems intentionally placed to scare off the weak-hearted, but those who make it through will be soon rewarded. Track two, “Celestica,” is a gorgeous disco daydream, combining spaced-out keyboards with sweetly sighing vocals and thudding dance beats. From there, Crystal Castles continue to dabble with bludgeoning noise (see the terrifying “Doe Deer”), but the emphasis is on ethereal synths and warped, otherworldly vocals. There’s even a faint new age undercurrent running throughout, which crops up most notably on the serene, echoing “Violent Dreams.” This shows that, despite their self-sabotaging streak, Kath and Glass have a knack for synth-pop atmospherics that ultimately outweighs their bratty attitude.

Download This: “Celestica”