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Crystal Castles


Formed: 2006
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre: Witch House, Dance, Synthpop
Years Active: 2006 - 2017
Meaning of the Name: Crystal Castles is a magic location in the 80s kids cartoon series She-Ra: Princess of Power.
Core Members: Alice Glass (vocals), Ethan Kath (production)
Way of Working: Led by Ethan Kath

Essential Releases

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles (2008)

Debut album. Established their signature lo-fi aesthetic with raw, chaotic noise.

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)

Crystal Castles
(II) (2010)

Same dark electronica but an altogether more polished, nuanced sound with clearer vocals and a greater melodic focus.


Crystal Castles, the Canadian gothic-electro outfit, carved out a unique space in the late 2000s dance scene, notably as a key player in the emerging 'witch-house' genre. It's ostensibly a self-aware, anguished form of dance music that gives the listener a cathartic release for their angst and pain. However, witch house musicians sardonically play up the teenage edgelord vibe by using occult symbols to the point of theatrical caricature. For example, the album cover for Crystal Castles (II) features a young child next to a grave marked "mother" (see below).

The pair formed in the late 2000s when Ethan Kath met a teenage girl, Alice Glass, who had runaway from her family to live in a squat near Toronto. They soon started making dance music with a punk feel, which Kath described as deliberately annoying and designed to provoke the listener, creating an abrasive, crackled, unsettlingly raw sound made from low-bit samples pulled from 80s games and similar sources.

The sound contrasted starkly with the superclean EDM of the time, such as music by Calvin Harris, making it inherently rebellious. Complementing the discordant noise were themes of aggression and nihilism, which were mixed with a distinct vulnerability found in Alice's vocals. For example, their 2010 track Doe Deer features confrontational lyrics, "I'll beat you until you're nothing!", but they're delivered by a young woman with a neck thinner than a stack of 50p's.

Crystal Castles earned a reputation for chaotic live shows and reckless behaviour throughout their career. Gigs would be cancelled at the last minute, they had several car crashes while on tour, and Alice would often perform injured or even with broken bones.

Their set at the 2008 Glastonbury festival was almost cut short after Alice climbed on scaffolding and generally encouraged anarchy in the crowd. She risked pulling down the entire rig, so the organisers nearly pulled the band off stage to ensure everyone's safety. Even as Alice threatened the crowd with serious injury, some of its members cheered her on. This wild, out of control image appealed to many.


Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?
80

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.
40

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.
95

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.
85

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?
70

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.
55

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.
65

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.
60

Singing

i Technical attributes.
65

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.
70

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?
85

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.
60

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value.
70

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?
30

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.
25

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.
55


Commercial & Critical Success

Awards

Certifications >>>

  • Crystal Castles: Silver in UK

Charts

Critics >>>

  • NME: Crystal Castles - Best Albums of the 2000s: #39
  • NME: III - Best Albums of the 2012s: #4
  • Pitchfork: Crystal Castles - Best Albums of 2008: #15
  • Slant: Crystal Castles (II) - Best Albums of 2010: #6


CRITICISM

  • Alice Glass, and four other women, have accused Ethan Kath of sexual, physical, and mental abuse with Glass herself alleging Kath coerced her into sexual acts, tore out her hair, and seized her passport. Kath has denied the allegations.


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