Crystal Fighters find purpose and direction on Everything is my Family

Following the release of 2014’s stand-alone single “Love Alight”, and tragic loss of drummer Andrea Marongui, Everything Is My Family sees the band present their most engaging collection of songs to date.

Opener “Yellow Sun” is the obligatory catchy-chorused singalong, giving way to the mellow, steel drum-infused “Good Girls”. Although both tracks are ostensibly break-up songs, lead vocalist Sebastian Pringle acknowledges that the themes of the album move far beyond that. “It’s not always breaking up with a person; it’s breaking up with the past and engaging in the future. Beyond that, spiritual awakenings and cosmic interests.” This collection of songs moves away from the scattergun track selections of their previous albums, revealing Crystal Fighters more focused than ever before.

Everything Is My Family was heavily influenced by the band’s travels through Central America. Separation from the over-stimulation of city life and immersion in communities rich in ancient and spiritual musical traditions prompted examination of the band’s own writing and performance practices.

While complex production plays a larger role on this album than previous releases, the bare bones of each song were created highly acoustically and organically. The drum samples and drops pull the songs in dynamic, high-energy directions, but at its core each track is an exercise in simple, polished songwriting.

Lead single “All Night” is a predictable highlight, but the 70’s pscyhedelia-influences on “Fly East” see the band testing unfamiliar waters to deliver rewardingly intoxicating results.

Fittingly for an album whose title suggests an over-arching oneness, Everything Is My Family is Crystal Fighters’ most cohesive and unified release thus far. Crystal Fighters have matured from the erratic mania of their youth into a band whose distinctive sound now has direction and purpose, and what a joyful purpose it is.