Crystal Drive

Artist Information

From the pitch wheel bends of “Only for the Money” to the Gary Numan-esque sweeps and squalls on “Chemical Children,” 900 doesn’t just smile and nod to the influences of classic synth pop — he’s created something that sounds less like a nostalgic recreationand more like the real thing. – Mark Demming, REVUE/AllMusic. As the drummer of the Lansing, Michigan-based psych-punk band Peoples Temple, George Szegedy co-produced a string of lo-fi LPs on HoZac Records praised by the likes of Pitchfork, NME and UNCUT. With Peoples Temple on an extended hiatus, Szegedy—under the new moniker CRYSTAL DRIVE—has gone in a totally new direction on his self-produced, self-titled debut solo album. This 12-song full length, pressed on both white and blue vinyl by Jett Plastic Recordings, presents an authentic blend of electronic-pop majesty and raucous, yet angular, synth-rock precision. Szegedy, who supplied all vocals and most of the instrumentation on the LP, said he utilized an assortment of throwback organs and synthesizers on the new LP. The results created an otherworldly sonic universe. “There are definitely some classic literature and sci-fi themes in the content of the lyrics and music,” Szegedy said. “It creates a somewhat dark and strange atmosphere over the course of the record.”