ALBUM REVIEW: House & Trance – Crime In Stereo
House & Trance by CRIME IN STEREO almost never happened. In 2016, the band had an album that was 80% done before they decided that it wasn’t representative of who they are as a band and they started again with this one. It is their first album since 2010’s I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone, as they split up in 2011 after releasing four albums before reforming in 2012. However, the long gap hasn’t hurt the album’s sound. It’s as if they’ve never left.
After the short fast-paced introduction of Pensioner, complete with synths and heart-pounding riffs, Superyacht Ecopark is another shorter song. It sounds like a part two to Pensioner as it is sonically similar. On the other hand, it is a bit more guitar-driven than the first one. The rest of the album’s songs fall in between three to four-minute mark. What’s impressive about this album is how consistent it is. Whether it is the grunge-esque Rogue Wave or the rockier Hypernormalisation, there is no issue with pacing, despite the different individual sounds and styles of the tracks.
The continuity is helped by the fact that it was self-produced by the band. It is clear that they know what they wanted to make when they made it. Each song has a lot of love and care dedicated to it; regardless of whether it is the indie-rock of House/Trance or the slow-paced ambient Autotourniquet, each song is produced with so much attention to detail that you can hear the individual background noises.
Of course, the album isn’t perfect. Whilst the songs do have their individual sounds, they don’t stray too far from the original core. Some may suggest that some of them do sound a bit too alike, especially at the start of the album, but it does rectify this problem by the end. Also, as this is the band’s first album since 2010, they probably don’t want to try anything too different in order to ease themselves – and the fans – back into the music.
Overall, CRIME IN STEREO have gone back to basics for their new album, and it is like they never left. The band self-produced this record, and it can be heard in the finished product how much they care about each song. Most of the album manages to carve out an identity for each track, and the pacing is steady and helped by the fact that each song is a good length. House & Trance is proof that good things come to those who wait.
Rating: 8/10
House & Trance is out now via Pure Noise Records.
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