After falling in love with their record

GT Ultra

, a perfect fusion of new wave, wonky electronic music, punk, and psychedelia, Guerilla Toss's

Twisted Crystal

was one of my most anticipated releases of the year.

Twisted Crystal

uses a lot of the same elements as their previous record. The wonky synthesizers are still here, and the music is still strange and absurd. However, Guerilla Toss seems to have toned down their sound a bit more to reach a wider audience. This is not strange for the group, as they have strayed pretty far from their brutal no wave and noise rock roots.

Twisted Crystal

feels more like a toned down

GT Ultra

than a reinvention in their sound. While the absurdity is still there, the energy isn't as apparent.

Twisted Crystal

still has plenty of great moments, though! "Jesus Rabbit" is a wildly strange song where the narrator calls for divine intervention to help her escape the mundanity of the earth. The chorus on this track is very absurd and catchy. The demented circus-like ending of the song is the cherry on top of a great track. "Meteorological" and "Come Up with Me" both show off the very best of the group's pop sensibilities. "Walls of the Universe" is easily the album's best track, evoking the psychedelic introspection and paranoia of the second half of

GT Ultra

.

Overall, while not as energetic and strange as their previous album,

Twisted Crystal

is another solid release in Guerilla Toss's wonderfully bizarre discography. For anyone new to Guerilla Toss, this is definitely a good place to start. I recommend it to anyone who likes psychedelic music or the dance-floor pop of the 80s. I cannot wait to hear live renditions of these tracks at their concert next month.

The group’s one and only Texas show is at Dan’s Silverleaf in Denton on October 20th!

Bandcamp:

https://guerillatoss.bandcamp.com/album/twisted-crystal-2