Crystal Castles


Nadja Kullgren 2011-12-18


Crystal Castles is an experimental electronic duo from Toronto, Canada. The duo was created in 2004; the members are Ethan Kath and Alice Glass. They are known because of their intensive live shows.
Ethan Kath met Alice Glass when she was only fifteen years old, after hearing her play with her band Fetus Fatale. Kath was very impressed of her performance and decided too ask her if she could record lyrics for some of his tracks that he had working on since 2003.
She decided to write some lyrics so she then could go to a studio too record them. Kath uploaded the finished songs six months later but the news is coming as a shock to Glass because she lost the contact with Kath after the recording and she didn’t know that one of the songs called “Alice Practice” even existed because it was just a sound check but it was secretly recorded. Later in 2006 the song became the first official release for Crystal Castles and it was on a limited vinyl.

I’m not sure of how I discovered Crystal Castles. I was looking for some new music on the internet. I searched on electronic music and then I saw Crystal Castles, I listened to some of their songs and I liked it. I’m going to tell you a little bit more about Alice Glass;


She was born in Toronto 1988 but when she was about 14 years old she ran away from home to live in a society with drug addicts.
But just a week after she had her fifteenth birthday she was asked to write lyrics to Kath. And that was the story of how Kath and Glass met each other. I really think it’s an interesting story of how this band was created.

I don’t have any especially favourite song; all their songs are very different from each other and each song has its own meaning. It’s quite difficult to understand Alice Glass lyrics, but if I had to choose a song it would be Birds. This is the lyrics:
BIRDS
Layers of lace
Held in place
Diagnosed you're a ghost
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb
Pull out their eyes
Apologize
Emerald waves to lubricate
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb
Show up throw up into the womb

I don’t really understand the lyrics, but I do like the sound.