There’s not a lot we know about the forthcoming return of the avant-pop duo known as Crystal Castles [Twitter/Facebook]. There is a possibility that the album will yet again be self-titled (as it’s sort of become their ‘thing’), will be out before the end of the year, and will feature this cracking (free!) new song called Plague. We couldn’t possibly comment, but the duo (Alice Glass and Ethan Katz) did do some work on the album in Germany earlier in the year. At least it’s not all speculation: the new song is a five-minute opus that seems to hint at the pair moving in a more atmospheric direction, floating in on a woozy synth melody, Glass’s vocals low in the mix and rendered all but intelligible by a ton of reverb as she switches between gently guiding the verses and doing battle with muscular rhythms in the chorus. There are a number of interesting twists and turns along the way, too, and the way the chorus melody returns after a brief interlude, near the four-minute mark, is stunning. For now, at least, they’re back – here’s hoping there’s more where this came from.