Al de Leon

Remember that late nineties GAP commercial when khaki-clad skaters tore up a halfpipe with choreography so tight it rivaled a Cirque du Soleil show? Soundtracking the ad was "Busy Child," a cut that helped catapult The Crystal Method, aka Scott Kirkland and Ken Jordan, into the mainstream. The Vegas-bred duo's sound hasn't strayed much from that splashy debut, and that is a good thing. Often compared with UK supergroup the Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method has earned props in its own right with a unique brand of hard and funky breaks, made more accessible to non-dance-music heads by infusing the rhythm of hip-hop and the electricity of rock. In a field dominated by Europeans, Kirkland and Jordan put America on the breakbeat map. Case in point: The Crystal Method was the only American artist nominated in this year's inaugural Grammy Award for "Best Electronic/Dance Album." The duo has embarked on a DJ tour to support its new "Community Service II" compilation mix, which features tracks from some of the heaviest hitters in breaks today, including Hyper and Uberzone. Yet the album's surprise standouts are actually killer remixes of New Order's classic "Bizarre Love Triangle" and Smashing Pumpkins' "1979." The Crystal Method brings it big, so expect a ton of energy from behind those decks.

The Crystal Method spins at Metro, 3730 North Clark, on May 6.

(2005-05-03)

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