Album Review: Hyper Crush "Vertigo"

OK, I'll admit it. I love Hyper Crush. I mean it should be obvious with as many times as I post about them (and how often I make it a point to say how sexy Preston is), but I thought I should point it out just in case you are incredibly dense and hadn't caught on. Not long ago they released their newest album Vertigo, and of course I've gotta review it!

Leading up to this release, Hyper Crush had released two singles. The first of them, "Visions of Coleco", was a game changer for the group. It was so far removed from anything we'd heard from them before, and it even was their first track to have a featured artist, rapper Riff Raff, on any of their albums. It had a Middle Eastern flare to it, and was much more hip-hop than we may have been used to -- and it worked.

Strangely, that's pretty much where that thread ends. The second single "Rage", went back to their much more electronic sound than before. They had joked online about arguing over how many times they were to say the f-bomb in the track. Well, at least they seemed to be joking. The track does drop it a lot, giving this album a well deserved parental advisory. When are they not obscene (in the best way)?

The title track "Vertigo", is one of the standouts of the group. I can see why they chose this to be the album's name, seeing as it is among the most polished feeling of the group. It is one of the few dubstep tracks that the trio has put out, along with "Cheap Thrills" off of their last album, Night Wave. "So Ha" also felt like a throwback to the last album, It has the fun mix of electronic and hip hop,

To me, what really pushed this work over the top were the two interconnected tracks "4Ever" and "Black Roses". If you listen to the album straight through, you may think they are the same song. The first not only has lines that link it to the second, but it also fades into the next. This is the first time I have seen something like this on an album, making for an interesting learning experience.

Vertigo has made for an interesting listen. I was told when I was speaking with Holly Valentine that they originally intended this to be an EP, and coming in at ten tracks, with one being an intro and another being a mere one and a half minutes, it seems kind of obvious. The reason stated was that they didn't want fans to overlook the quality of the work just because it wasn't a full album, but I don't see this as being a complete work, either. Many of the songs don't sound as strong on their own when compared to Night Wave, and "Visions of Coleco" aside, it didn't show as much growth as I would have liked it to.

Regardless, this album is still a great buy. For only $7.99 on iTunes, it is pretty much a steal. It has enough killer songs on it to justify the money, and it is certainly a fun way to re-introduce everyone to what Hyper Crush is all about.