I do appreciate their change in their sound, and some of it is pretty beautiful, but don't know if I'm totally on board with it. Kinda gave up on it

I dig, it is kinda distant from the menacing, manic energy from their earlier stuff. My favorite thing about this album, though, is that all that energy feels restrained, bursting at just the right moments and maintaining that element of danger, if not creating a heightened sense of it with all the ambiance. Plus, the sound is more focused this way, and I think that's working great as the experience isn't as exhausting and feels more cohesive as well as a more thoughtful project.

That said, I'm gonna go check out the full second album now. I may find myself wrong here, I've heard it was a great next step after their first one, which was masterful itself.

You just made me realize how to explain how I feel. Their first two records are completely unrestrained, adding little boops and bops and glitchy techno which would come completely out of nowhere. III goes for the more generic techno route. Repetitive beats and songs that get tedious after a few listens. Sorta makes me dread how their next album will sound like.

I can see what you mean, and maybe I'm coming from my unfamiliarity with techno, since this is practically the only group I really like from the genre. But I feel like, though it's absolutely a restrained record, you can still hear their syncopation, distortion, and aggression, just in a more ambient, low-key environment - like "Magic Spells" or "Untrust Us" with more malice and a few incidents of "Knights" and "Alice Practice" jumping out at opportune moments.

But I understand where you're coming from, because it definitely doesn't maintain the same energy that Crystal Castles albums used to thrive on, and I even thrived on when putting them on.

Love this album big time, it makes into my favourite albums this year list. 5/5

Listened to it again for sake of this debate, and while it does have it's flaws and doesn't have that improv-ish techno their first two records had, it definitely is a solid effort. Considering I don't listen to much techno, it's definitely my favorite techno album this year.

What'd you think of their previous albums?

Wow, arguing on the internet really can make a difference! :) I'm glad you found it a solid effort, but I still understand why it doesn't strike you the same way the previous albums did. My girlfriend's a huge fan of the first album, and when I showed her this one, she said "whoa, this is different."

Right on Vanilla, I'd put it there too but i never listen to enough this year music to actually make a list with real credibility.

Definitely different. I just feel they went for a safer approach. Their first two records I think are an acquired taste to most. This feels like their album they want to sell really quick

I loved them too. I particularly like the craziness and rough vocals, they're not comparable to any other groups/artists in my opinion. I like how they both sing rather than just one, it gives the album a distinctive and unique feel. These are tracks in II that I smashed via ipod:





<-a slower paced track with gentle vocals which would be great to listen to while stoned.

Hehe that's ok, I have been heavily wrapped with trance, indie and dubstep this year. Now I have a thread idea...

It's not a bad thing that their album is safer, it's just another side of them. In your opinion are they considered a well know duo?