The Crystal Method

With the arrival of 2009's DIVIDED BY NIGHT, electronic music pioneers THE CRYSTAL METHOD (TCM) have dropped their masterpiece. Bolstered by the innovation, flexibility and craftsmanship that made the duo of Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland club culture icons, the pair's fourth studio effort is easily its most inventive and accomplished to date.

Launched with the momentous first single "Drown in the Now," The Crystal Method's infectious collaboration with mic master Matisyahu makes a unique and memorable musical statement. Elsewhere, "Kling to the Wreckage" is equally breathtaking, albeit remarkably different, as She Wants Revenge frontman Justin Warfield puts his fiercely awesome delivery atop an exhilarating soundscape.

"We're always trying to improve on what we've done before," says Ken. "We're always trying to challenge ourselves. We don't really like to work with formulas. We really like working with a diverse group of people. I think that works out really well. Because the songs have really different presentations, but because of Scott and me, they also have something essential in common."

If the perception is that Jordan and Kirkland spend much of their time obsessing over the small details of their art, it's partially true. "We are sort of mad scientists in the studio," Scott laughs. "We delve into minutia at times, tweaking sounds on synthesizers or whatever, but that's what we've done from the very beginning."

"At the same time, we're to the point that we're so familiar and comfortable in the studio that it makes getting those ideas out a lot easier than it might have once been," Kirkland continues. "Over the last year we've come up with a lot of great ideas for songs. Each song has a different background and genesis, but the challenge is to make each of these different ideas coalesce into a great album."