The Crystal Method - Vegas

When people who don't know one end of a Prophet V from the other insist on telling me and the world which bands The Crystal Method do and do not sound like I get mad. Call the music police someone, this Chemical Brothers and Fluke thing has gone too far!

I'd heard little of their music before listening to Vegas but I'd heard a lot about them. I heard about them from Fluke while in Vancouver reviewing a live show. I've also heard all about them from every D.J. in town and from friends who are all of a sudden getting into electronic music and talking about The Crystal Method.

The album opens with a soundbite laden track that sets the solid mood, preparing you for what's to come. At track three for me the groove really kicks in. I particularly go for the use of analogues, especially all the sweeps and VCF stuff. There's also a minimalist approach to the use of vocals no doubt lifted from some place other than their own gob's, the sequences are really helped along by these subtle distractions.

Track seven opens with a delightfully relaxing sample that shifts the scenery and makes an intricately constructed bed consisting of bass pulse sequences, percussion patterns and again the subtle bits and pieces that really help make this stuff their own.

By the time track ten rolls around I find myself wishing this was a 2CD set. So anyway, no more comparisons okay, just let them get on with it. Do them a favor and listen deeper next time.

Rating: 941,733 (out of a possible 1,000,000)