The Crystal Method

As the Crystal Method rose through the mid-1990s, observers frequently cast the pair as the United States counterpart to the Chemical Brothers. Although the two-man electronic project carried a pronounced rock-band identity, Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland grounded their sound in American hip-hop, rock, soul, and pop traditions that set their work apart. Early participants in big beat’s mainstream breakthrough, the duo first gained traction with the 1995 club single “Keep Hope Alive,” which reached number 14 on the Billboard club chart, then consolidated that momentum via the platinum-certified debut album Vegas in 1997. By moving away from big-beat conventions and inviting collaborators from widely varied genres, Jordan and Kirkland sustained their career with Legion of Boom (2004) and Divided by Night (2009), each of which earned a Grammy nomination in the dance/electronic category. Concurrently they supplied scores for numerous video games and films. Jordan later exited the music business, leaving Kirkland to continue the Crystal Method alone on The Trip Home (2018) and The Trip Out (2022).

The producers, both natives of Las Vegas, formed the Crystal Method in 1993 after earlier four-track experiments with vocal house. Relocating to the early-1990s Los Angeles rave circuit, they absorbed the scene’s idealistic spirit and began crafting tracks drawn from those experiences. A demo secured them a deal with Steve Melrose and Justin King’s City of Angels label in 1994, and “Keep Hope Alive” appeared shortly thereafter. The title alluded to the declining rave community—hampered by police crackdowns and sporadic violence—and the track achieved anthem status through multiple remixes and versions; it later peaked at number 71 on the British pop chart.

Insisting on recognition as a performing band rather than anonymous techno producers, Jordan and Kirkland maintained a rigorous live schedule. Their growing club and radio profile led to a 1996 contract with Geffen’s Outpost Recordings imprint. Vegas arrived in August 1997, a high-energy fusion of acid, funk, rock, and big-beat hip-hop that reached number 92 on the Billboard 200 and earned gold certification the following year, driven by the number-one club single “Comin’ Back.” A tenth-anniversary deluxe edition ultimately lifted the album to platinum status. Also in 1998 the duo composed the soundtrack for the video game N2O: Nitrous Oxide.

Tweekend, the official successor to Vegas, surfaced on Geffen in July 2001, topping the club chart and entering the Billboard 200 at number 32. Contributions from Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland, and DJ Swamp helped separate the project from big-beat associations. The single “Name of the Game” became a Top Five club hit. In 2002 the pair issued their first commercial mix album, Community Service, on Ultra. Legion of Boom followed on V2 in January 2004, again emphasizing rock and rap elements; the Kyuss and Limp Bizkit collaboration “Born Too Slow” reached number three on the club chart. The album repeated the prior release’s chart pattern—number one on the club tally, Top 40 pop—and added a Grammy nomination for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Community Service II appeared in 2005, featuring the duo’s versions of the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues” and New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle.” That same year they scored their first film, London, which opened in September; a physical edition emerged early in 2006, followed months later by the Nike-commissioned Drive: Nike + Original Run.

At their newly built Crystalwerks studio the duo recorded a self-released fourth album featuring Matisyahu, Justin Warfield, Emily Haines, and Peter Hook. Released in May 2009, Divided by Night became their third consecutive Top 40 entry and nearly topped the club chart; it too received a Grammy nomination. The same year X-Games 3D: The Movie reached theaters with their soundtrack. A fan-funded, self-titled album embracing their EDM roots arrived in January 2014, featuring Dia Frampton and LeAnn Rimes, and debuted at number three on the club chart. After Jordan’s retirement, Kirkland kept the Crystal Method active, issuing The Trip Home in September 2018 and, in 2022, The Trip Out, which included Iggy Pop on the single “Post Punk.”