1998 - Boxia (Balkan Digital)

 

Title: 1998

Artist: Boxia

Label: Balkan Digital

Cat Number: BD18

Genre: Techno

 

1: Ariel Acid (Biology Mix)

2: 1998

3: Call Me Romantic (Love Will Save The Day Mix)

4: Call Me Romantic (Love Will Save The Day Vocal Mix)

 

Is it possible to be claustrophobic and spacious at the same time? Probably not, but those are two of the adjectives that first come to my mind when listening to this steam hammer of a release which, in spite of its occasional dense, pounding racousness, is eloquent and sophisticated also, displaying a lightness of touch within the sonic void. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the two mixes of ‘Call Me Romantic’, which mixes industrial drone with respiratory beats as a counterpoint. The ‘Vocal Mix’ uses a low frequency spoken word to distinguish it (I don’t know what it’s saying btw). ‘Ariel Acid’ meanwhile, is a big room banger full of suppressed power and menace, while ‘1998’ is an airy adventure into a funky filled minimal techno interzone. Lovely stuff.