Vegas
When Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland started distributing homemade singles around Los Angeles at the beginning of the '90s, their bass-fortified, hard-rolling techno concoctions perked up the ears of industry impresarios and local scenesters alike.Vegas, their affectionately-titled major label debut, refines the formula. Thick with layers of pounding beats and rock dynamics, it takes the typical club fare and beefs it up with a uniquely western slant. The detectable influences range from the power chords of AC/DC to old school hip-hop patterns to the smooth melodies of Stevie Wonder. On blistering tracks like "Trip Like I Do" and "Keep Hope Alive," the Crystal Method confirm that America has become a force of contention in the electronica field.--Aidin Vaziri