Ethan Kath has been using atari 8-bit sound chips for his synths for a few years now,which creates a unique synth sound, here on the second Crystal Castles album, the canadian duo have created a softened but also improved sound.
The angry screeches and synth squeals have been replaced by symphonic variants, akin to the european house sounds of the last 15 years but fear not, there is still the atari sound chips and the buzzing,frenetic,glacial 'Castles sound.
To improve on their remarkable debut album was always going to be difficult but this album is a rich cathedral of sound, with fewer samples and a direction towards a more mature sound.
Its difficult to compare anyone to these two in modern alternative music, they fit well into the alternative scene but nobody comes from such an interesting angle ,using '80's computer chips!. The sounds created are anything but limited and in fact the atari chips give the synths a unique sound,tinnier but also somewhat fresher than modern synths,.