Glass Swords
by Rustie
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: Oct 10, 2011
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. NOW Magazine
    Nov 11, 2011
    100
    It all makes Glass Swords a vivid, liberating experience (and, as a by-product, makes the canned wobble of dubstep seem oppressive).
  2. XLR8r
    Oct 19, 2011
    90
    Glass Swords feels and sounds like a cohesive statement, and a strong one at that.
  3. Mojo
    Dec 22, 2011
    80
    An exhilarating brand of digital soul. [Nov 2001, p.103]
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  5. The Wire
    Dec 6, 2011
    80
    Th art here is ensuring that too much is in fact just enough, and Rustie is a master of it. [Oct 2011, p.51]
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  6. AllMusic
    Dec 5, 2011
    80
    The whole thing is designed for instant pleasure (or immediate repulsion), even when the titles evoke treacherous levels of a fantasy video game.
  7. Magnet
    Nov 11, 2011
    80
    Glass Swords is a testament to the importance of cutting right the chase, boiling house music down to climaxes the way Lightening Bolt compresses wild metal soloing into hard, gnarly blasts of attitude. [#81, p. 59]
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  8. Drowned In Sound
    Oct 21, 2011
    80
    This is a dense, rewarding--and yes, fun--record.
  9. BBC Music
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    Glass Swords shows just the right amount of restraint to prevent total disarray.
  10. Dusted Magazine
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    This album is loud, obnoxious, personal, and a hell of a lot of fun.
  11. The Quietus
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    I found hooks I hadn't noticed while playing it worming through my head days later, and there's no better testimonial to Rustie's managed moreness than that.
  12. Pitchfork
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    In a couple of decades, when you're looking for an instant hit of what electronic pop felt like in 2011, you'll be able to throw on Glass Swords and get a dose of that feeling in its purest form.
  13. Resident Advisor
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    Glass Swords is a place where pleasure is the only constant: it doesn't matter that he's playing with self-consciously "cheesy" sounds or untouchable genres when the songs are this good.
  14. The Guardian
    Oct 19, 2011
    80
    It's far from a scattershot ADD affair, though; fundamentally, Rustie has a knack for an irresistible hook, and for knowing when to stick with it and when to move on.
  15. Uncut
    Nov 11, 2011
    60
    Glass Swords places him squarely out there on his own, programming the kind of computer-game fluoro-rave crunk that's easy to admire but hard to love. [Nov 2011, p.97]
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best Album of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. alecvl08
    Feb 3, 2015
    7
    I like the production styles used by Rustie, punchy, boosted basslines, light and sparkly treble sounds, but I think his style may be slightlyI like the production styles used by Rustie, punchy, boosted basslines, light and sparkly treble sounds, but I think his style may be slightly borrowed from Hudson Mohawke. Neverthesless, I enjoyed Glass Swords thoroughly, however heavily favoring some tracks over others. Some tracks are too bland or simple in rhythm to be completely loved.… Full Review »
  2. chente
    Mar 5, 2012
    10
    There is nothing out there that comes even close to this. I mean where else can you get Hip Hop, The Legend of Zelda, Prog-rock and Daft PunkThere is nothing out there that comes even close to this. I mean where else can you get Hip Hop, The Legend of Zelda, Prog-rock and Daft Punk all in the same place?… Full Review »
  3. Improvised
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    Glass Swords is like a 12 puppies wrapped up in a cybernetic ball of cookie dough. It's the epitome of fresh. Horrible review, I know, butGlass Swords is like a 12 puppies wrapped up in a cybernetic ball of cookie dough. It's the epitome of fresh. Horrible review, I know, but it needed to be said.… Full Review »
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