Upping the ante on their assured debut,
The Crystal Axis is a concept album apparently accompanied by a physical construct -- also called The Crystal Axis, and represented by the conical collection of tubes on the cover -- that
Midnight Juggernauts assembled for an accompanying tour. It's clear that the band has now exposed nearly all its previously latent proggy tendencies.
The Crystal Axis begins with a two-minute “Induco” and so closely imitates
Pink Floyd's sonic expanse and melodramatic vocals throughout the album that they'll likely be next in line for the Storm Thorgerson treatment on their next LP. Granted, the trio is still in thrall to dance music, so all its
Floydian textures come at bpm levels that
Waters and
Gilmour and company would never have approached. The production is accomplished and detailed, as is the merger of sounds live and programmed, analog and digital. Like
Röyksopp and
Phoenix and many other ostensible dance acts,
Midnight Juggernauts have every intention to play driving tracks like “Lifeblood Flow” and “This New Technology” at every festival they’re invited to (four continents and counting. Highlights appear in unexpected places: “Lara Versus the Savage Pack” reaches another level only several minutes in, and it flows well into “The Great Beyond.” ~ John Bush