Photo: PJ Sykes

Cristal

Tucked away in Richmond, VA, Cristal haven't gotten the attention they deserve. Since forming in 2001. Jimmy Anthony, Greg Darden and Bobby Donne (Labradford, Aix Em Klemm) have played out infrequently , limited their release schedule and devoted their time to refining their electronic music. Their seclusion and deliberation work to your advantage. The new limited edition seven inch single Swedish Child and accompanying Homegoing digital album is a profound movement into melody.

..this trio seems to break the sound down into the smallest possible parts, creating hyper detailed microscopic droneworlds that virtually REQUIRE headphones... the sound of Cristal is less about power and force, more about texture and timbre... Cristal collapse inward, like that ride at Disneyland, where you travel into the microscope. This is minimal microscopic, but incredibly rich and detailed sound.
Aquarius Records August 2008

Anyone thinking Miasmah's got sole dibs on dark ambient music-making needs to cast his/her gaze in a westerly direction, to Richmond, Virginia to be precise, because that's where you'll find Jimmy Anthony, Gregg Darden, and Bobby Donne (with a little help from cellist Taylor Burton) operating under the name Cristal and issuing stellar collections like Homegoing... Fans of Deaf Center, Elegi, and Svarte Greiner clearly would do themselves a disservice in not familiarizing themselves with Cristal's work too.
Textura July 2010

Casting out micro-meteorlogical movies for the mind's eye, this trio from Richmond, Virginia illuminate their graceful swathes of singular gloom with occasional fissures wrought from glistening starry beacons. Featuring Bobby Donne of the now seemingly-defunct Labradford, Cristal shares that group's obsession with somnolent atmospherics, but opt for languid permafrost over Morricone's spaghetti twang.
Record Collector Oct. 2010

Cristal
Jimmy Anthony - electronics
Greg Darden - electronics
Bobby Donne - electronics
Taylor Burton - cello on Homegoing

Discography
Swedish Child b/w Trial 7 inch Single plus Homegoing Digital Album / Homegoing Digital Album (FSS)
The Black Box Soundbox (FSS)
Re-Ups LP / Digital Album (FSS)
Split with Haptic 10 inch Single (Entr'acte)
Split with To Kill a Pretty Bourgeoisie 7 inch Single (Riley Bushman)
Cristal CD (All Is Number)
Cristal 3 inch CD (All is Number)

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