Artist: Mind.In.A.Box
Title: Revelations
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 20th January 2012
Label: Dreamweb Music
Album Review
For a while it seemed the story started in 2002 with ‘Lost Alone’ would never see a continuation. The last album’s title ‘Crossroads’ indeed was one. It would eventually lead them and their label in two different directions. ‘Revelations’ now is the new album’s title and other than the previous effort, a cryptic symbol is staring you right in the face from the front cover. Perhaps it’s the sought gate to the dreamweb? A few of the songs have been premiered already in the scopes of a series of live shows. To be honest, if you heard the impressive live versions of ‘Remember’ or ‘Second Reality’ first the album edits just can’t win. I don’ want to curtail the expectations. ‘Remember’ is possibly the best opening they could choose for the album. The spherical lead-in with a low drum beat leading towards the massive middle-part. Stefan’s vocals benefited a lot from the live performance since it’s grown much stronger since.
‘Cause and Effect’ is the MIND.IN.A.BOX (MIAB) take on club music. It is a slightly tricky beat immersed in cold, in that special sort of atmosphere that we’ve come to love and which makes a significant part of the attraction to their music. Although I know some will disagree, regarding the mood, it’s on par with tracks off of ‘Lost Alone’. ‘Transition’ brings our protagonist back to a place from the past; a certain club, though this time it’s abandoned. The doors are shut “Where’s the music / where are all the people”, words that encompass a song that dwells in reflective moods. ‘Doubt’ is a huge question mark, a collection of thoughts to questions. Some essential things we all tend to ask ourselves; one more than the other. “It is then that I feel doubt / afraid that it is all I am”. The trick to convey such heavy subject matter is to wrap a club beat and an intense atmosphere around it so that it becomes a cerebral journey in dancing shoes.
‘Unknown’ brings back the robotic vocal aesthetics of earlier days, keeping everything else deliberately in the background, so they’re able to spread their magic. ‘Not Afraid’ sees Black walking through streets of grey, the faces passing him by cold and lifeless trapped in endless routine. Seen from the perspective of someone who managed to escape and delivered in a balladry fashion. ‘Second Reality’ is yet another track already presented life. Here I’M getting back to what I wrote in the beginning: If you’ve heard the live version, the studio edit can only loose. It’s still a great song, though the other angle had a greater impact on me to be honest. ‘Sanctuary’ closes the next chapter of the story and seeing the protagonist finding what he was looking for so long: The place the music originates from.
I didn’t think this was possible at all since ‘Lost Alone’ was second to none, but on ‘Revelations’ the project manages to reach a similar density and frigidity when it comes to the textures and atmospheres implemented. Hence it’d be a crime not to give it a high rating The album proved MIAB still are at the top of their game.
Tracklist
01. Remember - 4:28
02. Cause and Effect - 6:51
03. Transition - 5:56
04. Doubt - 5:30
05. Control - 5:50
06. Fragments - 5:51
07. Unknown - 5:03
08. Not Afraid - 5:04
09. Second Reality - 6:35
10. Sanctuary - 6:11
Line-up
Stefan Poiss
Markus Hadwiger
Website
http://www.mindinabox.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9 / 10
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