Crystal CastlesFiction ***

The second album from Canada’s Crystal Castles, a duo who effortlessly give surly acts a bad name, turns out to be far more glitter and grit than the anticipated dollops of slop and strop. There were hints the first time around that Ethan Kath and Alice Glass could overcome their collective tantrums, and the new record’s magnificent scope is a giant stride in the right direction. True, Crystal Castles still rely on edgy glitches and white noise figments, but these are now part of the texture rather than the only component. Tracks such as

Violent Dreams

and

Celestica

are the yin and yang of the Castles at play, catching them moving from rough and ready, menacing electro-punk sumo wrestling to swooning, mystical classical rubs in one easy move. Yes, they’re still abrasive and diffident, and now Crystal Castles show they can be seductive as well. See myspace.com/crystalcastles

Download tracks: Celestica, Violent Dreams