Round-up Tracks: Beach House, Crystal Castles & More

Over the years Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally - with the help of their long-time producer Chris Coady - have forged forward with a woozy, echo-drenched production style that instantly smacks of Beach House. ‘Sparks,’ the first preview ahead of the duo’s forthcoming fifth record ‘Depression Cherry’ might be rooted in that same aesthetic, and it might still meander and swoop down the song’s pathway with a leisurely footscuff, but there’s also something more saturated and all-encompassing about Beach House’s latest. The guitars step out from the wings and emerge in a fuzzy, spinning fanfare, and ‘Sparks’ doesn’t so much extinguish as it sizzles away with bold, vibrant organs. “From the spine rising through the mind, You give it up, just like a spark, it’s a gift taken from the lips, you live again,” sings a hypnotic Victoria Legrand, atop walls of sound that sound a little like My Bloody Valentine on valium. If the first ignition of Beach House’s new material is anything to go by, ‘Depression Cherry’ will fly up in magical flames. (El Hunt)

Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes is never one to shy away from voicing his opinions; fighting adversity wherever he finds it and journeying inward, reflecting on himself, too. Rarely, however, is anything as deeply personal and thoughtful as ‘Do You See My Skin Through The Flames?’. Touching on everything from race issues and Kanye West, to his own personal heritage and issues surrounding depression, the track feels like an outpouring directly from Hynes’ soul.

Flitting between spoken word and instrumental grandeur ‘Do You See My Skin Through The Flames?’ flows through a number of movements, but never feeling disjointed despite its constant chopping and changing. The music follows suit, delicately underpinning Hynes’ commentary with grooves just funky enough to warrant attention, but never taking away from the issues at play, or diminishing Hynes’ message. Hardly more than a simple, crisp drum-beat or slack bass riff, the backdrop is at times barely there, and yet completely essential. As ‘Do You See My Skin Through The Flames?’ the Blood Orange of past returns to the fore, vocal accompaniments joining the mix while funk and hip-hop-laden beats build. It’s a mark of the careful craftsmanship and thought put into the track, that, clocking in at just over ten minutes, the feeling is that Blood Orange and Hynes himself still have more to give. (Henry Boon)

Returning with her first new song in three years, Santigold’s return is a crisp, staccatoed serving of pop served up all at once in a no-fuss slab. With previous releases ‘Disparate Youth’ and ‘L.E.S Artistes’ Santigold has set hersef a clean-sheet record when it comes to this sort of thing, and ‘Radio’ picks up at exactly the point where she left off. Trilling part-trumpet-part-kazoos meet headlong with a dulled, thumping bass propulsion, and Santigold watches over proceedings, urging the track forward with a killer chorus that soars out of nowhere. Three years away, you say? It’s really like she never left. (EH)

With a new album reportedly on the way and a mysterious new vocalist, Edith, in tow following the departure of Alice Glass and a spat of largely unpleasant bickering, Crystal Castles have a lot riding on each piece of new material they unveil. Following on from ‘Frail’ - the first release as their new line-up - comes ‘Deicide’. A vision of both the future and past, it’s punchy electronica harking back to 90’s rave culture with floaty atmospheric whispers, and otherworldly euphoria.

‘Deicide’ shows great promise, but somewhat in the shadow of Glass’ throne, Edith’s vocals are echoed and hidden beneath forceful, robotic aggression to near-inaudibility. It’s pleasantly woozy, but lacking the heart and attitude of the Crystal Castles of old. This isn’t to say ‘Decide’ falls flat on its face, and Crystal Castles promise that this is “just a peek at what’s to come.” Wiith Edith’s identity still remaining in the shadows, it feels appropriate that she lurks below the surface, the confusion and restlessness of the track only adding to the drama that may soon be revealed in the form of a new Crystal Castles album. Despite ‘Deicide’ being the mantra, at times, it feels like that’s the one thing Crystal Castles is still trying to do. (HB)

Like a stiff shot of whiskey with a chaser of pickle juice, Demob Happy’s latest musical outing is equal parts sour and intoxicating. “I’m just as bad as the rest, when I manipulate,” drawls Matthew Marcantonio, over a alley-creeping bass-line, before nonchalantly calling everyone to “wash it down,” over relentless, dirging guitars. Those tastebud zapping spikes soon arrive, though. Fret-bending guitars whizz up into the higher registers before being yanked back down into the swamp. Demob Happy might be a relatively new band in the grand scheme of things, but they’re very quickly making their mark. (EH)