Rustie: Glass Swords - Album Review

Rustie
Glass Swords
Rating: Woof Daddy

Glasgow based producer Rustie's debut album Glass Swords doesn't care if you think it is the most cerebral album of the year. The motive is not the brain but the feet, and it succeeds wildly in creating its own universe of euphoric party music. Whether you want to call it rave, grime, two-step, garage, wonky, dubstep, aqua-crunk, etc., it doesn't really matter, as Rustie barely takes a breath through 13 tracks, whiplashing through every genre possible. What strikes one the most with this album is simply the exuberance of the music, the sheer joy that emanates from every pore. Every track is packed to the gills with ideas and sounds, and each time it threatens to get too cluttered, Rustie seems to instinctively know when to pull back. There is not a dull moment or weak track on this album, and is perhaps the most exciting electronic album of the year.

There are almost too many high-points of the album to comment on. Tracks like "Ultra Thizz," which throw whiplash snares and percussion at you along with giddily building synth squiggles and vocodered vocal samples, are tailored made late night party anthems.



"City Star" mines booming bass and an onslaught of video game inspired keyboard blasts.



Rustie is not afraid to be completely goofy, stealing the Seinfeld slap bass line for the tracks "Flash Back" and "Hover Traps," but having the sense to adapt it to the songs, which stutter along with rave siren keyboards and squeaky vocal blurts.





"Surph" is all funky blurts of bass and staccato keyboards, making for an endlessly head bopping track.



Truthfully, there really are no overtly weak moments on the album. The only track that doesn't do much for me is "Globes" which is more of a transitional track between the two halves of the record. The second half the record is as good if not stronger than the first half. The double salvo of the wonky "Death Mountain" and funky "Cry Flames" bring back the forceful propulsion of the record's first half.





"After Light" takes a step into dubstep territory bringing a wubby bass into the mix, tempering things with sparkling synths and what could even be a saxophone.



The album ends on the 80s funk pairing of "Crystal Echo" and "All Nite" with plenty of keytared melodies, sunny rave vocals, and stuttered percussion.



Glass Swords is so full of energy and amazing ideas, you have to immediately replay it once it's done in order to hear something you've missed or to play your favorite track over again. It's been a long time since I have heard a record that made me want to do that. While it may not be the most original sounding album of the year, he takes familiar, tried and true sounds and finds ways to make them feel fresh and new. This album is definitely on my list for albums of the year.

Rating Guide:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.