FACE TO FACE

APOLLO BROWN & SKYZOO

debut on Amnesty (I), Edith Frances joins Ethan Kath, the band’s longtime producer, in launching the next chapter in the band’s life. While many bands struggle to fill the void left by departures, Crystal Castles have shown the chameleon-like ability to adapt and thrive within the experimental electronic music ecosystem. At its core, Amnesty (I) maintains the crux of what made Crystal Castles great: ethereal electronic soundscapes, glitchy melodies, piercing vocals and cacophonous outbursts just jarring enough to keep listeners on edge. The album oscillates from intimidating, in-your-face electric storms to shimmering, fragile synthscapes. But it’s the ease with which the band flow from one style to the other that suggests a strong musical partnership between Kath and Frances, from which sprung the intimate and intricate details of this fully realized album. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Frances revealed that 100 percent of the proceeds from the album would go to Amnesty International to support their human rights efforts. It would be unwise to view Amnesty (I) as the rebirth of Crystal Castles; it’s simply the next step in the band’s

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The Easy Truth Alt-rap diehards will fawn over The Easy Truth, the new joint album by Detroit beatsmith Apollo Brown and New York MC Skyzoo. The LP’s music mostly consists of Apollo’s trademark rugged, unfussy instrumentals, though it seems working with the Big Apple spitter (who picked flashy beats for his prior solo albums like 2009’s The Salvation) has prompted the Motor City producer to adopt subtle flights of fancy. Take “A Couple Dollars,” which has the expected tinny, bare-bones percussion, but is also overladen with samples of hazy, soft strings. Skyzoo raps aptly on that track about the allure of the almighty dollar, but his musings are even more moving on “One in the Same” where, over minimal jazz keys and another tinny beat, he spits: “Money loud like the only way we can live is blatant / Until it muffle a crowd and they get complacent.”

While those musical elements make for a compelling listen, they are used repeatedly throughout the first handful of tracks, making The Easy Truth drag a bit after a while. Thankfully, the fifth track, “Basquiat on the Draw,” makes for a welcome change in pace with its booming, rattling drums and overall menacing instrumental. (Mello Music Group)

APOLLO, YOU INSIST ON WORKING FACE TO FACE WITH MCS. THAT’S A RARITY THESE DAYS — WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Apollo Brown: Yeah, Sky came up to Detroit for ten days and we knocked this out. My process is keeping it natural, vibing, watching the MC’s expression when he’s in the booth. I like to keep it personal, keep it natural. Skyzoo: I came to Detroit, and I was able to come up on beats that I wouldn’t have heard if I was in New York over email. Even though he sent me 30 beats to pick from, the second day he was all “Yo, I made these beats last night,” that turned into “Nodding Off” and “A Couple Dollars.” But if we were emailing, I would have missed out. KYLE MULLIN

evolution, a welcome return. (Last Gang, lastgang.com) DYLAN BARNABE