CRYSTAL CASTLES (BAND)

'Crystal Castles' are a Toronto-based band, described by Pitchfork as an "8-bit terror duo"^[1] consisting of multi-instrumentalist Ethin and vocalist Alice.^[2]The group's music has been described as "innovative".^[3] Crystal Castles are known not only for their own efforts as a band, but also because they have remixed songs by a number of other groups, including "Leni" by GoodBooks,^[4] "Hunting for Witches" by Bloc Party,^[5] and "Atlantis to Interzone" by fellow friends and label mates,^[6] Klaxons.^[7]

Contents

History

Style

Remixes

Discography

EPs

Additional remixes

Trivia

References

External links

History

The band has been very successful despite the fact that it was formed accidentally:
The first song, "Alice Practice", released into the public domain through MySpace, was the result of the microphone test.
Alice was not aware that it had been used until record companies heard the song and contacted the duo to offer them record deals.
They are touring Europe and USA,^[8] have supported Australian, electronic group, The Presets in March^[9][10] and have completed a mini tour of Ireland in May with Cap Pas Cap.^[11] The band also played at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in England, August 2007^[12] and are set to play the CMJ Festival 07 in October.^{[13][14][15][16]}
Also in October, the band are supporting Metric throughout their North American tour.^[17]

Style

Crystal Castles' music uses unusual instrumentation such as placing an Atari 5200 sound chip inside a keyboard in order to produce a sound that has been described as having "ferocious, asphyxiating sheets of warped two-dimensional Gameboy glitches and bruising drum bombast pierce [the] skull with sheer shrill force, burrowing deep into the brain like a fever".^[18]

Remixes

Much of Crystal Castles' music has been populated as free downloads through music blogs. This has allowed the band to release various remixes of popular indie songs including "Trash The Rental" by Sohodolls, "Leni" by GoodBooks, "Lovers Who Uncover" by The Little Ones, "Atlantis to Interzone" by Klaxons and a remix of "Pop the Glock" by Uffie, called "Make It Hott".^[19] The "Leni" remix was given a positive review from indie music review website, Pitchfork, who described it as having "pitch-shifted vocal snippets [that] ricochet like pinballs around Crystal Castles' patented 8-bit synths".^[20]

Discography

EPs

★ ''Alice Practice'' 7" Merok Records, 2006

★ ''Crimewave'' 7" Trouble Records, 13 Aug 2007

★ ''Crystal Castles // HEALTH'' Split White 7" Lovepump United Records, Aug 2007

★ ''Untrust Us'' SLU Records, 2007

Additional remixes

★ "Cry Babies" by Comic Book Fever

★ "It Fit When I Was A Kid" by Liars^[21]

★ "Crimewave" by HEALTH

★ "Divebomb" by The Whip

★ "Homecoming" by The Teenagers

★ "Like a Motorway" by St. Etienne

Trivia

★ As their music is very reminiscent of 8-bit video games and they use old Atari sound chips in their instruments, it would be a fair assumption that they took their name from the Atari 8-bit game Crystal Castles. The band however are named after the Crystal Castle from Mattel's He-Man/She-Ra franchise.^[22]

★ They are currently in the mixing stage of another EP called "Untrust Us" with record company S.L.U. Records.^[23]

★ Crystal Castles were referenced in Guardian Unlimited.^[24]

★ Crystal Castles are set to play at Fly Nightclub in Toronto, to launch a book featuring photographs of celebrities that have been guests of parties hosted by The Misshapes.^[25]

References

1. Crystal Castles Embark on 8-Bit Terror Tour
2. Walking On Glass
3. Online Music Review
4. Crystal Castles - Clearly Trying To Build Their Own Empire
5. Crystal Castles’ Bloc Party Remix
6. CRYSTAL CASTLES
7. Glow Sticks Inna Di Air
8. Interview: Crystal Castles
9. Sound check: Upcoming concerts
10. The Presets to Tour Stateside
11. 8-Bit Excursions
12. Reading & Leeds: Lock Up / Dance line-ups revealed
13. Dancing About Architecture 08.14.07
14. Report: Amy Winehouse Hospitalized; Initial CMJ Bill Unveiled
15. CMJ 07: Spoon, Xiu Xiu, Deerhunter, Deacon, Justice
16. Fest mania: 2007 CMJ lineup coming together
17. Metric announce North American dates
18. Underage Festival: wait a minute, these people are all children!
19. O M G, I think I'm in love.
20. On Repeat: GoodBooks: "Leni (Crystal Castles Remix)"
21. It fit when I was a kid
22. Rising: Crystal Castles: "Air War"/ "Lovers Who Uncover (Little Ones Remix)"
23. Crystal Castles Demos
24. The law of the bus stop
25. The book on the rich and famous

External links

★ Crystal Castles at MySpace

★ Drop-D interview and Live Review May 15 2007