Alice Glass - Alice Glass EP

Alice Glass, formerly of the brilliant electronic duo Crystal Castles, has certainly kept us waiting.  Since she left Crystal Castles a few years back, the world has been eagerly seeing what direction she would take on her own.  She released the "Stillbirth" single a while back but outside of that has been quiet.  However, out of nowhere, Alice here has dropped a surprise EP!  So let's talk about her debut solo work.

(A Classic from Crystal Castles)

    This EP starts off with “Without Love”, and I actually dig this track a whole lot.  I love the unnerving intro that sounds like something directly out of the Crystal Castles playbook.  To be honest, I think this is actually pretty solid as far as the Crystal Castles vibe goes.  I love how overpowering and and icy the beat comes off.  Then, we have Alice’s vocals, which aren't nearly as animalistic and piercing as they used to.  But there is still a very sinister vibe that I’m getting from her performance, as sweet and innocent as it is at times.  Overall, “Without Love” really isn’t THAT bad.  The only negative is, I wish the production was a little more abrasive and experimental in feel.  But outside of that, this really isn’t bad at all.  “Forgiveness” on the other hand is just the opposite, and Crystal Castles fans are going to want to head for the hills on this one.  This track is literally about two synth notes away from being a club hit.  But to be honest, since this track is certainly a little more intense, I sort of like it.  Not to mention, I seriously dig Alice’s vocals on this one.  Yes, they’re so much more pop oriented and not as primal.  But if this is going to be the sound of her future material, this really isn’t awful.  However, this could so easily quickly disintegrate into really bad Pop music so easily.  But so far, I’ve been digging on this EP.  That is until “Natural Selection” shows up.  This track is easily the messiest track that I’ve ever heard Alice come anywhere close to.  It’s trying to be all experimental and edgy, but honestly, this one just comes off as sloppy.  Alice’s continued desperate attempt to make another Crystal Castles sounding record is getting further away from the mark by the minute.  And while yes, it’s certainly abrasive, there was always something very smooth and seamless about Crystal Castles.  “Natural Selection” on the other hand just sounds desperate and ugly.  Then we have all of these “Heavy Synths” that seriously do nothing for me, and her vocals just end up coming off annoying.  I don’t know what Alice was thinking on this one, but I couldn’t wait for this one to be over.

    Once again, Alice gets a little too close to the “Commercial” side of things with “White Lies”  This one shows Alice is once again trying way too hard to come off as some Alternative Pop superstar.  But honestly, this one really isn’t the worst thing I’ve heard for or could hope to hear from Alice.  I actually really dig her sort of wild performances on the verses here.  It’s mostly just the chorus that’s a little too sugary for me.  But like, why am I hearing legitimate industrial metal blasts during the verses.  While “White Lie” certainly isn’t bad, I feel like I’m learning absolutely nothing about Alice or the direction her solo career is going to take.  Now, remember earlier when I said Alice didn’t sound so bad among these more upbeat atmospheres?  “Blood Oath” makes me want to take the back.  This track is basically EDM with Alice Glass singing over it.  The only difference is, it’s seriously obnoxious.  Once again, we get a whole lot of production quirks that sort of seems a little desperate.  Overall, I keep getting this feeling that I don’t know what direction Alice is trying to take.  And quite frankly, I doubt she does either.  Even all the noisy and abrasive production here doesn’t do any justice.  At the very least I do sort of understand what Alice was going for on “The Altar”.  To be honest, hearing her among this very bare and somber atmosphere is something I really wouldn’t mind hearing from her more of in the future.  Sadly though, on “The Altar”, Alice really doesn’t sound good at all.  Alice used to be an anomaly of this genre of music.  Here, she comes off as a reject who’s trying desperately to get her foot in the door.  “The Altar” isn’t interesting, it’s not even haunting, it’s just an incomplete and total let down of an ending. 

Rating: 6.1/10

Give A Listen To: "Without Love", "Forgiveness" "White Lies"

Genre: Electronic / Electro Pop / Noise Pop / Synth Pop / Darkwave

If You Dig This, Check Out:  Crystal Castles "II", Sleigh Bells "Treats", Crystal Castles "Crystal Castles"

Overall Thoughts:  Man, I've been waiting for this project for such a long time I can't even begin to stress. But if this is the future of Alice Glass's solo career, it's going to be a very long road back to the top.  There are some decent moments on this that sound like Alice is doing the Crystal Castles sound a little justice.  But then there are other moments that sound like Alice is coming off like any other random Alternative Pop singer.  So no, this really isn't good.