The Box Man is not a techno-industrial release by the number. For sure, it embraces the darker and industrial-influenced style of today’s techno, but it keeps at the same time the acid and ambient elements of their sound, achieving 5 tracks where they use different elements. The result is a modern mini-album perfect for the club, but at the same time not devoid of musical qualities.

The A side showcases two tracks: the title track is a brooding affair with stomping bass-sounds and shrilling effects, a dark mantra with an imposing crescendo which develops into an atmospheric loop with subtle changes. Then, it implodes with sharp disturbances and grinding rhythms, fully displaying its abrasive but enthralling nature. The long term care facility chooses a faster and more minimal route, with steel-like snares and compulsive drums. An infectious bass-line collides with cosmic effects, while IDM elements are mixed for in a good measure. The soundscape is at the same time acid and sturdy, evoking a dark and sweaty dancefloor.

On the B side we find numbers like Thieves are operating in this area, with its obsessive grooves and modular sounds folded inside sci-fi blips and atmospheric synth-lines, resulting in an old-school voyage reminding us of 90’s techno without being a mere nostalgia-pastiche, or Foaming at the mouth with its implacable march made of industrial effects, dissonant sounds and growing, factory-like mechanical structures. The final piece Lyubov is a pleasant surprise, a retro track with 80’s melodies and enthralling rhythmic structures, a sort of instrumental electro-pop song far from the usual sound of the duo.

BITE is a newborn imprint but it is already showing us a great quality with its releases. After the techno-industrial with post-punk elements of Confess, we find in The Box Man a different but not alien path, in which modern sensibilities and old-school acid sounds concurs to the crafting of skillfully developed techno tracks with different moods and structures, The listener is never bored, instead the lover of this sounds will find different ventures for his listening pleasure. Easily a recommended work.