Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles ethereal beats start early in the Radio 1 tent and it's a slow intoxicating rhythm full of bleeps and swirling cymbals. I overhear the girl next to me saying this is why she came to Reading and the crowd are in the main moving to the repetitive bass beat.

This is music more suited to the sonic stylings of the Dance Tent but with musical know-how making it more akin with tonight's headliners Radiohead. As clouds gather overhead more join us. Lead singer Alice Glass hangs over the crowd supported by security. Electonic twitter and electro vocals punctuate the dance beats and it's damned infectious. The Toronto duo throw in a bunch of samples and more casio keyboards. I have to confess to not knowing many of their tracks but on this first taste I'm quite smitten.

Glass clambers into the crowd and her clipped sonic shrieks appear to me to be 'Now I Want To Be Your Dog' but I can't be sure. 'Black Panther' sees a change of musical direction showing they are capable of other things. 'Crimewave' gets an airing and one of the few tracks I know has to be the highlight although I'd like to know more. A surprise hit of the day.

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