Amnesty (I)
Amnesty (I) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Crystal Castles | ||||
Released | August 19, 2016 | |||
Recorded | 2015-16 | |||
Studio | Konk Studios (London)[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 33:14 | |||
Label | Fiction Records, Casablanca Records | |||
Producer | Ethan Kath | |||
Crystal Castles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Amnesty (I) | ||||
|
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 67/100[2] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Consequence of Sound | B-[4] |
The Guardian | [5] |
Pitchfork | 6.8/10[6] |
Drowned in Sound | 6/10[7] |
PopMatters | [8] |
Clash | 7/10[9] |
Amnesty (I) is the fourth full-length album by electronica duo Crystal Castles, released on August 19, 2016, on Fiction Records and Casablanca Records.[10] It is the first album since the departure of previous frontwoman Alice Glass in 2014. Released nearly four years after band's previous album, it marks the longest period between consecutive studio albums by the group.
Background
On April 17, 2015, Ethan Kath shared a new track titled "Frail" on soundcloud, writing 'this is Edith on vocals'. The track was released digitally on iTunes a month later on May 11.[11] Kath shared another track "Deicide" on July 3 on soundcloud, it was released on iTunes on July 10.[12] In late November 2015, Edith Frances played her first show as the other half of Crystal Castles in South Africa.[13]
In the last week of June 2016, the track "Concrete" was leaked[14] on Korean website MNet. The track was later released as a single on July 6 with an accompanying video on the same day on YouTube.[15][16] On June 29, the band previewed a new track "Femen" with a teaser of the music video showing birds caught and struggling in mist nets via Vimeo.[17] On July 11, the band announced the new record, 'Amnesty (I)' along with its cover art and track list and also premiering "Char" as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1.[18] The single and pre-order for the album were made available a day later on July 12.[19][20] The fourth, and last pre-order single "Fleece" was made available on August 16 at the band's iTunes page,[21] followed by the official release of the album on August 19, 2016[22]
Track listing
Amnesty (I) – Digital edition[23] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
1. | "Femen" | Kath | 2:32 | |
2. | "Fleece" |
| Kath | 2:35 |
3. | "Char" | Kath | Kath | 3:08 |
4. | "Enth" |
| Kath | 3:29 |
5. | "Sadist" | Kath | Kath | 2:30 |
6. | "Teach Her How to Hunt" | Kath | Kath | 1:55 |
7. | "Chloroform" | Kath | Kath | 3:08 |
8. | "Frail" | Kath | Kath | 2:49 |
9. | "Concrete" |
| Kath | 3:16 |
10. | "Ornament" | Kath | Kath | 4:07 |
11. | "Their Kindness Is Charade" | Kath |
|
3:45 |
Total length: |
33:14 |
Amnesty (I) – Physical edition[24] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
11. | "Kept" |
| Kath | 4:04 |
12. | "Their Kindness Is Charade" | Kath |
|
3:45 |
Total length: |
37:18 |
- Notes
- "Femen" samples a choir cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Scala & Kolacny Brothers.[25]
- "Kept" samples "Other People" and "New Year" by Beach House, from their 2012 album Bloom.[26]
- "Their Kindness is Charade" contains additional production by Jake Lee, known professionally as witch house artist 'Sidewalks and Skeletons'.
Charts
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27] | 85 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[28] | 182 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] | 95 |
UK Albums (OCC)[30] | 86 |
US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[31] | 2 |
References
- ↑ "Meet Crystal Castle' New Singer Edith Frances". Rolling Stone. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Amnesty (I) by Crystal Castles". Metacritic. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Heather Phares. "Crystal Castles - Amnesty". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Michael Madden (August 19, 2016). "Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Ally Carnwath (August 21, 2016). "Crystal Castles: Amnesty (I) review – brilliantly disjointed electropop". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Evan Rytlewski (August 30, 2016). "Crystal Castles - Amnesty (I)". Pitchfork (website). Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Dave Hanratty (August 18, 2016). "Crystal Castles - Amnesty (I)". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Brian Duricy (August 30, 2016). "Crystal Castles - Amnesty (I)". PopMatters. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ Josh Gray (August 18, 2016). "Crystal Castles - Amnesty (I)". Clash (magazine). Retrieved 8 September 2016.
- ↑ "CRYSTAL CASTLES - 'AMNESTY (I)' (LP)". Fiction Records. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Frail - Single by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Deicide - Single by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ Murphy, Sarah (November 27, 2015). "Crystal Castles Reveal New Singer Edith Frances". Stereogum. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ Earls, John (July 6, 2016). "Watch as Crystal Castles share video for new single 'Concrete'". NME. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ Williams, Tom (July 6, 2016). "Crystal Castles Drop New Song 'Concrete' As New Album Details Leak". MusicFeeds. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Concrete - Single by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). July 6, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ Murphy, Sarah (June 30, 2016). "Crystal Castles Hint at New Album with Cryptic Trailer". Exclaim. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Crystal Castles - Char". BBC. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
- ↑ Greg (July 11, 2016). "Crystal Castles release "Char" & announce 'Amnesty (I)' album pre-order". Last Gang. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Char - Single by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Fleece - Single by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Amnesty (I) by Crystal Castles". iTunes (US). August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Amnesty (I) by Crystal Castles on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "CRYSTAL CASTLES - 'AMNESTY (I)' (CD)". Fiction Records. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Smells like teen spirit - Scala & Kolacny Brothers". YouTube. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Crystal Castles: Amnesty (I) (CD) - jpc". jpc. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I)" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Crystal Castles – Amnesty (I)". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ↑ "Crystal Castles – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Crystal Castles. Retrieved August 26, 2016.