Friday 19 November 2010

Listening to... 'NOT IN LOVE' - Crystal Castles ft. Robert Smith


A delicious fusion of electro and indie, that manages to combine the nostalgic 80s tones we'd expect from The Cure's frontman, Smith, with an injection of electronic bleeps and digital distortion from new-wave masters Crystal Castles.


The song (orginally a track by 80s band Platinum Blonde) appeared on Crystal Castles self-titled album earlier this year, minus the addition of Robert Smith. Luckily Smith's romantic and convicting vocals go a long way in saving the song from its previous and excessive self; replacing much of the warped, distressed sounds CC usually rely on with a more understated but equally emotive sound. 

As such when Crystal Castles tense yet urgent pace lets loose towards the end, the result is all the more dazzling. 

This collaboration was always going to be risky and diehard fans may still be fighting from both corners, but for me it strikes a dreamy balance between old and new, and importantly a sound that I can't get out of my head.

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