Phantom Gizmo by CRYSTAL - flau [FLAU91A]

Phantom Gizmo

CRYSTAL

A 1 track retro/vintage single (3m 1s) — released February 5th 2021 on flau

#alternative #retro-vintage

CRYSTAL are experts at their own brand of retro-futuristic synth. Discovered online by Gaspard Auge (JUSTICE) and Surkin, the world has steadily been taking note of the duo. Headed up by Ryota Miyake (aka FLAU roster artist Sparrows), the duo's sound may have taken different trajectories, but their experimental, energetic new wave meets techno with added video game music continues to turn heads. With Sunao Maruyama alongside Miyake, CRYSTAL have collaborated with big names throughout their career. Their GET IT EP (2013) appeared on French label Sound Pellegrino, complete with a feature spot from label head, producer and DJ, Teki Latex. On their 2015 album Crystal Station 64 the duo collaborated with Ikonika, and in 2016 CRYSTAL even jammed with the legendary Thundercat at RBMA Montreal. Remixes by CRYSTAL have also appeared on Boysnoize Records, among others, further showcasing their synth skills to the world.

CRYSTAL's Reflection Overdrive is their second album in five years, arriving hot on the trail of 2020's Ecco Funk EP. While the album is a sure showcase for the duo's unique blend of '80s synth and video game soundscapes, Reflection Overdrive also marks a return to a bolder, more experimental side to CRYSTAL, making for an exciting, multi-faceted journey through time and space.

The first single from new album Reflection Overdrive is future funk in CRYSTAL's own way, a little more extreme than the Japanese boxy feel. If we use MIDI to play a guitar like Prince, it will sound inorganic and far from sexy. However, the song seems to be a rethinking of industrial music and game music. CRYSTAL sings on vocoder a crazy scene about an empty ghost robot made up of broken robots from a landfill, and everyone dancing in the smog.

Crystal’s mixture of YMO-esque Nippon naive pop and Kraftwerkian-influenced beats tends to accidentally give birth to a romantic sound very reminiscent of Latin Freestyle - Teki Latex

very playful, exuberant, joyous, full of energy and boundless creativity - Paul Lester Guardian

wepost-internet-boss-battle-bachelor-pad-music at its very, very best - VICE

retro-futurist mayhem - The Fader

hyper-real synth-pop - Complex

There’s a sense of the old school here, of Talking Heads, early Depeche Mode or the Art Of Noise, but it’s delivered in a twisted, hyper-real way - CLASH

CRYSTAL seems to delight in a bit of nonsense - The Japan Times

anachronistic soundtrack where classical video game meets future of pop - Aupium

retro-future. fusion-galore. shimmy-excellence - Comeherefloyd

Japanese gang of sleek synth enthusiasts - Norman Records

  • Kudos happily ship all items worldwide.
  • Shipping costs and delivery times are available here.
  • UK items are sent tracked as standard at no extra cost.
  • We aim to dispatch orders placed before 2pm on the same day.
  • We are unable to ship orders on weekends or Bank Holidays.
  • If you purchase a pre-order item amongst an order of in-stock releases, we will typically hold your order until all items are in ready to send.
  • Although we use all reasonable means to ensure that your order is delivered within a specified time, we cannot accept any responsibility for late deliveries due to circumstances outside of our control. We will do our best to inform you of any unexpected delay.