This one is Vanished [Radio Edit] by Crystal Castles - an interesting band I have never got into but I managed to listen to their album on the inet. Apparently they replaced a sound chip in their keyboard with one from an Atari games console from the 1970s and that's how they get the retro sound. Genius!
The review:
If ever there is a band who are the antithesis of 'The Ting Tings', it is Canada's electro-art-punks 'Crystal Castles'. From the outside, the duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass appear to be all style over substance but real musical genius is there when you look deeper. Think 'The Kills' who like to sit in dark rooms playing retro computer games fused with keyboards.
The single 'Vanished', is not quite taken from the band's eponymous debut album. The track has been trimmed to a svelte three minutes for release, chopping a minute from the album version. Why this had to happen is anyone's guess as it works better as a longer single. Editing aside, 'Vanished' pulses along with an effective trademark Atari keyboard loop and scratchy drum machine. There is so much vocal distortion that the lyrics just become another instrument and nothing more. This is probably the effect 'Hot Chip' were going for. And when the duo sing together, another more interesting entity is created.
'Crystal Castles' make electronic music that is both modern and retro at the same time, something that must be admired. But 'Vanished' is not so much a song as a collection of ideas and the style always gets in the way of the substance. Given that the album is full of interesting and challenging music, this is a tame and slightly dull introduction.
-- CS (for The Music Magazine 2008)
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