Cave Rave Explained

Cave Rave
Type:studio
Artist:Crystal Fighters
Cover:Crystal Fighters - Cave Rave.png
Border:yes
Genre:Folktronica, alternative dance
Length:37:46
Label:Zirkulo
Producer:Crystal Fighters, Justin Meldal-Johnson
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Cave Rave is the second studio album by English/Spanish electronic music band Crystal Fighters, released on 24 May 2013 on their label, Zirkulo. The album consists of a mix of genres from Basque folk to straight electronic and dubstep. It was preceded by the official release of the single "You & I" as well as the airing and/or online streaming of the first four tracks[1] [2]

Development

The album was recorded in Los Angeles. It was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnson, and mixed by Manny Marroquin in LA.

Artwork

The album artwork was created for the band by artist Paul Laffoley, and was unveiled on Jay-Z's Life + Times website on 18 February 2013. http://lifeandtimes.com/crystal-fighters-speak-on-new-album-and-premiere-cave-rave-art

Release

The band released a preview clip of "Wave" on 6 February 2013. On 18 February, they announced the release of Cave Rave, a larger tour in Europe and a tour across North America, and posted the song Separator on YouTube. https://web.archive.org/web/20130801173425/http://www.crystalfighters.com/news/preview-new-crystal-fighters-song-16596 The official video for "Separator" was posted on YouTube on 8 April. The official video for "You & I" was posted on YouTube on 23 April. The track "LA Calling" was streamed on the official Crystal Fighters website on 14 May.

"You & I" is the album's official lead single. The song was debuted on BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe show as the "Hottest Record in the World". https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/zanelowe/2013/04/hottest_record_-_crystal_fight.html Subsequently, it has been added to BBC Radio 1's playlist and 3FM in the Netherlands' playlist as MEGAHIT. The video was directed by Elliot Sellers and was premiered on Vice Noisey. http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/crystal-fighters-separator Sunless 97 remix was premiered on FADER (magazine)http://www.thefader.com/2013/05/02/stream-crystal-fighters-you-i-sunless-97-black-magic-mix/, and Gigamesh remix was premiered on Vibe Magazine. http://www.vibe.com/article/crystal-fighters-you-i-gigamesh-remix-first-listen

On 14 May 2013 The Guardian announced Crystal Fighters plans to hold a 'Cave Rave' in the heart of the Basque countryside on 29 August 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/14/crystal-fighters-rave-in-cave

"LA Calling" was the second single to be aired from the Cave Rave album. The Guardian published a link to "LA Calling" on 13 May 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/14/crystal-fighters-rave-in-cave

"You & I" was added to BBC Radio 1's B List on 5 June 2013.[3]

“Love Natural” features in the video game FIFA 14. [4]

Composition

On 9 May 2013, on This Is Fake DIY, lead singer Sebastian Pringle gave a track-by-track guide to the album http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/features/track-by-track-crystal-fighters-cave-rave/.

Critical reception

The album was positively received by critics. upon release. The Times newspaper called the album "overwhelmingly infectious" in a 4/5 review; The Line of Best Fit awarded the album 8.5/10 and called it "a delirious pleasure";[5] The 405 website said it "a perfect companion for sizzling meat and endless sunsets";[6] Aesthetica called it "a collection of enlightening anthems that will inspire listeners to keep dancing all night"; The Big Issue said the album is "like an upbeat Arcade Fire"; Huffington Post said the album is "bursting with so much life and euphoria."[7] The Evening Standard described the album as "...abound of a deep love of Basque culture and the occasional splash of tequila. Take this CD on holiday, or, even better, see them live."[8]

Personnel

Credits for Crystal Fighters adapted from liner notes.[9]

Crystal Fighters
Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
Australian Hitseekers Albums Chart[10] 9
Austrian Albums Chart[11] 60
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[12] 76
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[13] 122
Dutch Albums Chart[14] 61
Spanish Albums Chart[15] 86
Swiss Albums Chart[16] 77
UK Albums Chart[17] 87
UK Indie Albums Chart[18] 20
US Top Heatseekers Albums[19] 27

Release history

RegionDateLabel
Australia[20] 24 May 2013[PIAS] Australia
Germany[21] Different Recordings
United Kingdom[22] 27 May 2013Zirkulo
United States[23] 28 May 2013Atlantic Records

Cave Rave event

On Tuesday 14 May 2013 The Guardian announced Crystal Fighters plans to hold a "cave rave" in the heart of the Basque countryside on 29 August 2013.[24]

The Cave Rave event took place on Thursday 29 August at Zugarramurdi cave outside San Sebastian, deep within the band's spiritual home of the Basque countryside.[25] New wavers Belako and party-starting six piece Wilhelm & The Dancing Animals opened the show and warmed up the crowd before Crystal Fighters took to the stage. The show was sold out and the review were all extremely positive with coverages on the Rolling Stone, El Pais and many other relevant blogs online.

Notes and References

  1. Breimann . Kate . Crystal Fighters Explore Nature in 'Separator' . . 5 April 2013 . 21 May 2013.
  2. Web site: Perry . Kevin EG . Crystal Fighters – 'Wave' . . 4 April 2013 . 21 May 2013.
  3. Web site: BBC Radio 1 Playlist . . 5 June 2013 . 5 June 2013.
  4. Web site: Fifa 14 Soundtrack Reveal . . September 2013 . 24 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave.
  6. Web site: The 405 Reviews: Crystal Fighters - Cave Rave . thefourohfive.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130609073848/http://thefourohfive.com/review/article/crystal-fighters-cave-rave . 2013-06-09.
  7. Web site: A-Sides with Jon Chattman: You, I, and the Crystal Fighters. HuffPost. 17 June 2013.
  8. Web site: Album reviews: May 2013. 31 May 2013.
  9. Cave Rave . CD liner notes . . Zirkulo . 2013 . ZKL009CD.
  10. Web site: ARIA Report. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20130619050900/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20130619-1509/Issue1214.pdf. dead. 2013-06-19. ARIA Charts. 19 August 2014.
  11. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave . German . austriancharts.at. Hung Medien . 5 June 2013.
  12. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave . Dutch . Ultratop. Hung Medien . 7 June 2013.
  13. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave . French . Ultratop. Hung Medien . 7 June 2013.
  14. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave . Dutch . dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien . 2 June 2013.
  15. Web site: Top 100 Albumes – Semana 22: del 27.05.2013 al 02.06.2013 . Spanish . . 5 June 2013.
  16. Web site: Crystal Fighters – Cave Rave . swisscharts.com. Hung Medien . 5 June 2013.
  17. Web site: Official UK Albums Top 100 . . 8 June 2013 . 2 June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120514024132/http://www.officialcharts.com/albums-chart/ . 14 May 2012 .
  18. Web site: 2013 Top 40 Independent Albums Archive . . 8 June 2013 . 2 June 2013.
  19. Web site: Cave Rave Awards. Allmusic. 19 August 2014.
  20. Web site: Cave Rave – Crystal Fighters . . 2 June 2013.
  21. Web site: Cave Rave . German . . 2 June 2013.
  22. Web site: Cave Rave . Amazon.co.uk . 2 June 2013.
  23. Web site: Cave Rave: Crystal Fighters . Amazon . 2 June 2013.
  24. Web site: Crystal Fighters to hold rave in cave. TheGuardian.com. 14 May 2013.
  25. Web site: Crystal Fighters unveil full details of their Zugarramurdi Cave Rave on August 29th 2013. 29 July 2013.