Tag: Crystal Castles
Video: Crystal Castles – Sad Eyes
Top 100 Songs of 2012: 100-76
2012 has been the strongest year in memory for Canadian electronic pop. Established artists started new electronic projects, amazing new talents appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and one of our shining stars became a superstar recognized the world over. Canada is clearly at the epicenter of the zeitgeist – it’s a testament to the unbelievable talent in this country that we have 100 songs to present to you as the best of the year, and STILL had to exclude so many excellent tracks.
Montreal and Toronto may still have the most representatives of any Canadian city, but dark electro is thriving everywhere, from Halifax to Calgary, Ottawa to Vancouver, and exciting new hotbeds appearing in London, Ontario, and Grande Prairie, Alberta. We’re not too exclusively nationalist here at Silent Shout, so border states (minus NYC) appear too, with artists from Minneapolis, Seattle, and Brattleboro, Vermont making our list.
A huge thank you to all our readers, the folks who attend our events, and the bands that make brilliant music across this land for making 2012 an unforgettable year for us. Here’s to an even bigger 2013 for Canadian electronic music.
Top 100 Songs: 100-76 /// 75-51 /// 50-26 /// 25-1
99. Gold & Youth – Time to Kill
98. d’Eon – Century By Century
97. Crystal Castles – Wrath of God
96. Suuns – Edie’s Dream
95. Marie Davidson – Ma vie sans toi
94. Yves Son Ace – Wallet Song
93. Gal Gracen – ∞
92. Ev Ree Wuhn – Control
91. Man Made Hill – Physical (Olivia Newton John cover)
90. Drug Train – Idioms
89. The Natural Shocks – Change
88. Solar Year – Night and Day
87. Zooey – You
86. Gold Zebra – Dark Musique
85. Warm Myth – Gonna Gun
84. Wand – There Is A Place
83. Parallels – Moonlight Desires (Gowan cover)
82. Zouk Fuck – Blaque Sabbath
81. Hiawatha – Dogs of War
80. Nyteowl – EZ Boy
79. Tops – Easy Friends
78. Most People – You Said
76. Breeze – Paradise (In A While)
Top 100 Songs: 100-76 /// 75-51 /// 50-26 /// 25-1
Previously: Top 20 Albums /// Top 20 Videos /// Top 15 Remixes /// Top 10 EPs
New Release: Crystal Castles – III
Crystal Castles – Wrath of God
Crystal Castles – Plague
A lot has happened since the first bleeps & bloops of Crystal Castles’ first self-titled album. Without giving the band too much outright praise, songs like Crimewave were no small part of the earthquake that has created the tsunami we’re now riding. The 8-bit thrash sound inspired a lot of copy-cats and fueled a resurgence of lo-fi electronic music from Canada.
Now in their 3rd time at the plate, the Canadian duo has continued to hone their sound. Leaving the video-game sounds in the late 00s and taking on a more atmospheric approach, Crystal Castles take on a more complex aural landscape for III. Keeping tunes high energy while still conveying the cyber-goth attitude is a challenge to be sure, even if III isn’t the dance party/blog killer that it’s predecessor was.
MP3: Crystal Castles – Affection
This very dreamy Crystal Castles single came out a few days ago. III is out next week.
MP3: Crystal Castles – Wrath of God
Crystal Castles – Wrath of God
This new Crystal Castles track is pretty great. New album (III) is coming in November. Plus they’ve got all those tour dates in October and November with Kontravoid…so this fall we’ll all get our fix.
Pile of Best Albums: Kontravoid
Kontravoid – Dead Eagles
This was a long-time coming. We really like Kontravoid’s debut album, and have for a while. Kontravoid is the exact kind of music that Silent Shout was founded on: dark, gloomy, dancey and well-made. It’s even more timely, since he is going to be opening a bunch of shows for the Crystal Castles on their upcoming tour. It makes sense, since Cam Findlay (of Kontravoid) used to be their touring drummer.
You can get it wherever records are sold, and if your local shop doesn’t have any in stock, demand that they carry it. You can also download the album from his bandcamp.
Best Songs of July 2012
Cabaal – Out of Body
Sexy Merlin – Heater
Chrome and the Ice Queen – Young & True
Black Walls – Hiatus
A.A. Wallace – Offline
Mac DeMarco – Rock and Roll Night Club
Live Action Fezz – You Are
DBL Dragon – Argue
Soft Riot – Another Drone In Your Head
Frank Ocean – Thinkin Bout You (Ryan Hemsworth Bootleg)
Saturns – Diamonde
Crystal Castles – Plague
Stars – The Theory of Relativity
MP3: Crystal Castles – Plague
Aaaaaaand, they’re back! Crystal Castles are back! We’re assuming that this is off their forthcoming third album. Will a lot of people hate it? Probably. Will we like it? Based on this song, yes. Clearly they aren’t willing to let all these newfangled Canadian electro bands take all the glory.
Video: Crystal Castles – Suffocation
Hey! Crystal Castles! Remember them? Of course you do. Remember when everyone loved, then hated them? Now they feel kind of indifferent!
Anyway, the song Suffocation from their 2010 album has a video? Cool! Alice Glass is pretty attractive. It doesn’t get said enough, but so is Ethan Kath, the other member, with all his hoodies and facial hair and such. He directed the video.
This “fashion video” (direct quote, apparently) was produced by Vs. Magazine. It’s like a fashion shoot, but also a video! Why not? It’s pretty good. I think I’ll listen to that album again, and also eagerly anticipate the next one. I guess we’re not indifferent anymore!
Top Songs of 2010 Pt. 2
Our top 20 songs of the year! Yesterday we listed numbers 45 through 21, and the day before we ran down our top albums and music videos. Probably the last post from us this year. See ya in ’11!
19. D’eon – Kill A Man With a Joystick in Your Hand
18. Silly Kissers – Sweet Adrian
15. Broken Social Scene – All To All
14. Bishop Morocco – Last Year’s Disco Guitars
13. Bonjay – Stumble
12. Tonetta – God Treats You Right
11. Silly Kissers – Treat Me Like You Do
10. Crystal Castles – Celestica
9. Diamond Rings – Show Me Your Stuff
6. Silly Kissers – You Could Even Like Me
5. Austra – Beat and the Pulse
4. Crystal Castles – Not In Love (Feat. Robert Smith)
