POSTS TAGGED : Boxed In

Boxed In Announce New Album And Unveil New Single ‘Jist’

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London-based quartet Boxed In – headed up by Oli Bayston – have announced a new album, ‘Melt’,

Penned for release on September 23, via Nettwerk Records, it follows their wonderful, self-titled debut, which was released in early 2015. Preceding the release, Bayston & Co. have unveiled a brand spanking new single, ‘Jist’. It is an upbeat, punchy electronic number with looping vocals that strolls smoothly along an undercurrent of rumbling synths and bassline, and a sparkling keyboard melody. ‘Jist’ packs a solid groove (a la Mylo’s ‘Drop The Pressure’) and it swells, with a mild touch of the Balearic for good measure, to serve some feel-good, party vibes with a sublimely sparkling piece of awe-inspiring electronica. Boxed In’s self-titled debut was a revelation, and going on ‘Jist’ at least, we could be in for a repeat performance. Hopefully so.

Melt is out on September 23 and you can check out ‘Jist’ below.

Public Service Broadcasting to Release ‘The Race For Space / Remixes’ & Share Boxed In’s ‘Valentina’ Remix

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Released last year, The Race For Space, was a rocket-fuelled triumph for Public Service Broadcasting, spectacularly relaying the wonder, awe, glamour and the tragedy of the space race.

Following up their stellar second album PSB are releasing The Race For Space / Remixes on June 17th. It will feature twelve reworked and re-imagined versions of their work, including remixes from Field Music, Boxed In, Vessels, Dutch Uncles, Robert Babicz, Maps and more. Before getting its full and official release, PSB have kindly afforded us a glimpse of what wonderment may lay ahead, coming in the shape of Boxed In’s reworking of ‘Valentina (ft. Smoke Fairies)’. London-based quartet Boxed In – headed up by Oli Bayston – is normally on point, be it remixes or their own work, and here, Bayston & Co. serve a sublimely sparkling piece of awe-inspiring electronica. Spurred onward by a mildly propulsive groove, it weaves delicately through the crystalline production, snappy percussion and bouts of euphoria. Incredible.

‘The Race For Space / Remixes’ is out on June 17th – you can check out Boxed In’s stunning rework of ‘Valentina’ below.

Boxed In and Formation Team Up for Speedy Wunderground Single, ‘Running Out’

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London-based quartet Boxed In – headed up by Oli Bayston – have teamed up with fellow Londoners, Formation, for a new single as part of Dan Carey’s Speedy Wunderground label/project.

If you’re unfamiliar with Speedy Wunderground, here’s a recap: is a singles label where each release has been written and recorded in 24 hours, coordinated by Carey. The new single ‘Running Out’ sees the two bands collaboration deliver a fast-paced melody induced mix of dancey grooves and ravey tones, and more cowbells than you can shake a stick at. This is the first new material from Boxed In since their superb debut album, last year and the results are golden. ‘Running Out’ also heralds a new Speedy compilation. With the project up and running for two years now, a second compilation, ‘Speedy Wunderground – Year 2’, on 17th June, featuring tunes from Kate Tempest, Loyle Carner, Teleman and Telegram to name a few.

Plenty to look forward to in June, but for now, check ‘Running Out’ below.

 

BarryGruff Albums of the Year (2015)

BGs Albums of the year 2015So it is that time of year again, lists, lists and more lists. Well, not be out done, here are my 41 (yes 41, and yes it’s a weird number) albums of 2015.

It has been such a good year for new albums, probably the best since I started the blog back in 2010. So much so that there is very little difference between the top 5, top 10, top 15 and so on. So without further ado, here are my favourite records from 2015:

There is also a Spotify playlist of the Top 20 albums, to save you time and hassle (it’s here).

41. Only Real – Jerk At The End of the Line’

40. Rozi Plain – ‘Friend’

39. Wildling – ‘Molecules To Moon’

38. The School – ‘Wasting Away And Wondering’

37. Sweet Baboo – ‘Boombox Ballads’

36. The Stammer – ‘Days In Between’

35. SexWitch – Sex Witch’

34. Faith Healer – ‘Cosmic Troubles’

33. Girl Band – ‘Holding Hands With Jamie’

32. Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’

31. Fort Romeau – ‘Insides

30. Soft Serve – ‘S/t’

29. Applescal – ‘For’

28. Zefur Wolves – ‘Zefur Wolves’

27. Hot Chip – ‘Why Make Sense?’

26. Drenge – ‘Undertow’

25. The Charlatans – ‘Modern Nature’

24. Gaz Coombes – ‘Matador’

23. Bill Ryder-Jones – ‘West Kirby County Primary’

22. Drinks – ‘Hermits on Holiday’

21. The Expert – Dynamic Drift

20. Boxed In – ‘Boxed In’

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BarryGruff Playlist September 2015

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A now regular monthly feature, whereby we round up all the blog action with a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

September was pretty damn good, aside from saying goodbye to summer! We had tunes from Sexwitch, Gwenno, Hinds and The Altered Hours ahead of their respective, new and forthcoming albums. There were excellent new singles from Slow Riot, Tuff Love, BUCK, H. Hawkline, Freedom Fry, Gulp & Miaoux Miaoux. Oh, and their was the launch of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s new music podcast extravaganza for 604now (if you missed them? Why not listen to episodes #1 & #2)

Also featured on this month’s playlist are great tracks from Avid Walker, Mesa Luna, Ghost Culture, Boxed In, Anderson & Peaness. So yeah, pretty good alright.

Listen to BarryGruff’s September 2015 playlist below.

Boxed In – ‘False Alarm’ & Ghost Culture Remix

 

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What’s not to get excited about a coming together from the creators of two of this year’s finest albums? Well, it has happened.

London-based quartet Boxed In – headed up by Oli Bayston – released latest single ‘False Alarm’ last month, and much to our delight, Ghost Culture has chipped in on remix duties. ‘False Alarm’ typifies Boxed In’s DFA-tinged and propulsive piano-pressed electro-pop, with an undeniably infectious groove. Although wonderful in its own right, Ghost Culture’s rework enhances these tenancies, while introducing a touch meatier percussion. Opening with a drawn-out and epic build leading toward the two-minute mark, where lively hi-hats, a touch of piano-house and mesmerizing, heavy synths conspiring to enthrall with a unique spin on dance, electronica and electro-pop. Straddling such an assortment of influences, from techno to Krautrock, describing this one is as arduous a task as it is an enjoyable and dramatic listen.

You can check out both Boxed In’s original and Ghost Culture’s rework of ‘False Alarm’ below. Both their respective, self-titled debut album’s, should be checked out too.

BarryGruff’s Albums of 2015 So Far……

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I’m not exactly the best at keeping you and the site up-to-date with album reviews, to be honest, it’s the old enemy time. Discovering the hours to scribble some thoughts about this album or that has become rather elusive, but thankfully finding time to listen to albums, and music in general, is less of an issue.

Here are a list of my most listened and loved records of 2015 so far with Spotify links and playlists for overall albums of 2015. There are plenty of playlists on Spotify and Soundcloud and on the blog too. Oh, and with regards to albums *cough, cough*, you can still download GruffWuff, a 19 track compilation celebrating 5 years of BarryGruff, for FREE from bandcamp, *cough, cough*.

Top 24 albums of 2015 so far…

01. Czarface – ‘Every Hero Needs A Villain’

02. H. Hawkline – ‘In The Pink Of Condition’

03. Villagers – ‘Darling Arithmetic

04. Blur – ‘The Magic Whip’

05. Ghost Culture – ‘Ghost Culture’

06. Boxed In – ‘Boxed In’

07. Django Django – ‘Born Under Saturn’

08. Girlpool – ‘Before The World Was Big’

09. Stealing Sheep – ‘Not Real’

10. The Charlatans – ‘Modern Nature’

11. Courtney Barnett – ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’

12. Gaz Coombes – ‘Matador’

13. Hot Chip – ‘Why Make Sense?’

14. Applescal – ‘For’

15. Public Service Broadcasting – ‘The Race For Space’

16. Jamie xx – ‘In Colour’

17. Sen Segur – ‘Films’

18. Zefur Wolves – ‘Zefur Wolves’

19. Faith Healer – ‘Cosmic Troubles’

20. Mowbird – ‘One-Offs’

21. Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’

22. Fort Romeau – ‘Insides’

23. Rozi Plain – ‘Friend’

24. Pale Honey – ‘Pale Honey’

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Boxed In – ‘Mystery’

Boxed In 2015

After a year or so of treating us to a phenomenal series of alternative-pop singles, Boxed In, aka Oli Bayston will bring his wide array of talents to bear on something altogether more substantial, with the release of his self-titled debut album on January 19th.

Ahead of the album’s forthcoming release, comes ‘Mystery’. Although actually released the week after the LP, it is yet another stunning exposition from Boxed In. ‘Mystery’ is piano led alternative-indie-disco-pop perfection, whereby jaunty keys, an undeniably infectious groove and more than a hint of electronica conspire with a bouncy beat, clicking percussion and his soft pleasant vocals. What we are left with is utterly and irrefutably brilliant, resembling something akin to LCD Soundsystem meets the poppier side of Hot Chip and The 2 Bears. On this and previous evidence, Bayston’s debut LP is one to watch out for in the new year. No question about it.

Boxed In’s self-titled debut LP is out via Nettwerk Records on January 9th and followed by ‘Mystery’ on January 26th, but you can listen to it below now.

Boxed In – ‘Foot Of The Hill’

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Boxed In has made quite an impression the past 12 months, with ‘Run Quicker’ and ‘All Your Love Is Gone/Legacy’, a couple of phenomenal pieces of driving, propulsive alternative-pop.

Releasing two singles in a year is hardly prolific but quality should be favoured over quantity and so far, Boxed In doesn’t appear do anything other than astoundingly brilliant. Adding further weight to this testimony,  Oli Bayston & Co. are back with a brand new single, ‘Foot Of The Hill’, which precedes (drum roll please) the London trio’s as-yet-unnamed debut album, due out on January 19th 2015 via Nettwerk Records. ‘Foot Of The Hill’ is a vibrant, hypnotic and driven sliver of alternative-indie-disco, with a hint of LCD Soundsystem-esque funk, albeit with less of a dancefloor flavour. Light synth keys shoot across doodles of instrumentation as it is propelled forward relentlessly by a combo of meaty basslines, deep, earthy, and organic percussion and a hypnotic motorik rhythm, over which is laid a flow containing shades of the Jamie T ‘s to it. Yet another top quality track from Boxed In, on the form to date, their debut should be one to keep a look out for come the new year.

You can listen to ‘Foot Of The Hill’ below and will be released on November 3rd. The new single precedes, as mentioned previously, their as-yet-unnamed debut album, due out on January 19th

Boxed In – ‘Run Quicker’

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We dropped in on London based trio, Boxed In, late last year with the release of their excellent debut single, ‘All Your Love Is Gone’/’Legacy’.

Well, Oli Bayston & Co. are back again with a new single, ‘Run Quicker’, and they are sounding super exciting and vital once again. ‘Run Quicker’ is a driving alternative pop track ushered forward by pulsating motorik rhythms, meaty bass and crisp jaunty piano, and filled with a host of other organic sounds. It really does get going. Quite similar in essence to watching a blurry world flash by from a train window as it hurtles along through the countryside. All in all, it is an exhilarating blend of inspiration, taking in the motorik rhythms of Can and Neu!, and touch of 80’s new wave a la New Order.

‘Run Quicker’ is the first single taken from their debut album, which is out later this year. Meanwhile, ‘Run Quicker’ is out July 14th through Nettwerk Records. Check it & the video (directed by Sam Mason) below.

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