CF have been around for a while now, playing constantly for the past two years. Being picked up by Kitsune for a couple of single releases on the way, and spreading the story of the opera from which the project is born from to anyone who would listen (that particular story won’t be retold here, don’t worry). Now, though, they have a full album ready to launch onto the public, via their independent imprint Zirkulo. Live, their pulsating rhythms and interesting use of Basque musicality in with the usual drum’n’bass/dubstep/house/funky sounds pack a real punch, and leaves crowds suitably sweaty and impressed. This album brings that atmosphere to your iTunes. The individual tracks work as easily on the decks in a club as they do for someone in their car. ‘Xtatic Truth’, you have of course heard, and is a pulsating highlight from the band. It’s not a particularly deep album, but then it doesn’t set out to be. ‘Champion Sound’, ‘At Home’ and ‘Swallow’ will ensure that the feeling from the summer months will continue well into the New Year, and come next festival season these songs are sure to kick up a storm in any crowd. One criticism is that the production (they did it themselves) is a bit flat, the sound mostly very clean. Kudos to their independent spirit, but with a producer on the mixing desk, album two could really push Crystal Fighters into some extraordinary directions.
By Nicholas Burman.
