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Archived Reviews
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Doubtless totally unaware of the 'crappy 70s soap opera' associations of the title, the Mind. In. A. Box. duo of Stephan Poiss & Markus Hadwiger return with their third & most consistent album to date & what an album it is. The excellent 'Stalker' that appeared on the latest Septic sampler set the album up nicely &, as good as it still is, while the rest of the album equals this high standard as, focussing once again on the character Black, they've produced a masterwork that outdoes anything they've done before with a host of complex & emotive tracks that see them to exploring the seemingly limitless possibilities of each one. Calling the opening track 'Introspection' might lead you to expect a quiet opener but it's actually a pretty robust uptempo piece that really rattles along while the piano work that later adds an effective contrast sets the scene for the myriad musical wonders to come. The computerised vocals, which have added an emotive kick to so many of their tracks, work their magic once again on the complex & ever-changing 'Amnesia' & the psychadelic-tinged 'Fear' but it's the human vocals that show the greatest improvement as expressive, smooth vocals replace the annoying croaky voice that plagued much of the preceeding Dreamweb . This compliments the music a treat, particularly on the excellent title track, which, being the penultimate piece, ensures the high standard is maintained throughout as well as the pacey, surging 'Identity', which builds into a masterful & grandiose finale & the club-friendly offerings 'What Used To Be' & 'Redefined' & the trance-flavoured 'Into The Night'. Every track is emminently suited to deep listening, even these up-tempo ones although even they cannot compete with the mix of emotion & unadulterated musical expertise that graces the superbly melancolic 'The Place' where the beautiful piano work is embellished & then supplanted by the atmospheric & richly-textured melodics. Even the fractured rhythms which could have been the kiss of depth add just the right impetus during the latter half while Poiss' vocals again demonstrate their worth on this heart-tugging masterpiece. And as if that wasn't enough the closing 'Run For Your Life' ends the album on another breathtakingly superb note, building from a quiet opening into a dynamic & action-packed climax that provides a further reminder of the duo's brilliance (as if it were needed!). As to the future, whether the duo will decide that the Black releases will end as a trilogy & see this, plus being forced to leave Dependent for pastures new, as the right time to change their musical outlook remains to be seen but what we have here is an genuine musical treasure that deserves to be cherished forever |
