Since moving to Brooklyn and signing with DFA, Guerilla Toss have evolved from their beginnings as a cathartic, free jazz-influenced noise-rock band to an acid-splashed party machine. Twisted Crystal is their third album for the iconic dance-punk label, and it's easily their most striking, focused, and fun work to date. As with Eraser Stargazer and GT Ultra, there's an abundance of thick, rubbery basslines and complex polyrhythms, as well as ecstatic vocals from frontwoman Kassie Carlson. However, Twisted Crystal stands out simply by having catchier songs which concentrate on new wave-influenced hooks without abandoning the experimentation or urgency of the group's earlier work. Opener "Magic Is Easy" is a bubbly avant-funk tune with swooping, B-52s-esque vocals and layers of sizzling synths, as well as a lopsided rhythm which nevertheless remains easily danceable. "Jesus Rabbit" begins with a warped bassline that brings to mind labelmate Eric Copeland before launching into a compact art-pop song which alternates between a celebratory chorus and spoken verses which acknowledge a pending doomsday. "Meterological" has more straightforward, breakbeat-like drums and playful, sing-song vocals, coming across like a Madchester/New York hybrid with a sprinkle of Kraftwerk mixed in. Aside from slapping-bass funk and alternative dance burners, there's also the brisk, sunny new wave gem "Come Up with Me," which features shiny synths, rough guitar, and racing drums along with a perky chorus. Following the glittery sleepwalker "Walls of the Universe" is "Jackie's Daughter," a trippy dance cut which resembles a more charged-up Tom Tom Club. As wacky as their previous efforts but driven by a greater purpose, Twisted Crystal finds Guerilla Toss hitting a new high.
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