Box And The Twins - Zerfall (2019)

BOX AND THE TWINS released their debut ‘Everywhere I Go Is Silence’ and stood out with their creations of soundscapes that are light and deeply heavy on your mind at the same time. The genre of Dream Pop and Cold Wave just got richer with one more outstanding band. Box’ spherical voice is weaving nets of pastel-coloured melancholy and beautiful hysteria in a way that will confuse and enchant the listener in a blink of the eye. The second chapter is going to be released on 31st October 2019, the day of the dead - when the worlds are closer to each other than ever and couldn’t fit better as mystical soundtrack screaming of depression, desire and lust. ‘Zerfall’ is a 10-track-longplayer with a mix of songs in English and German and a wide variety of getting-lost-in-melodies.

The first song, ‘Shadows’, starts right with a smash, breaking of something into many pieces. An effectual and attention creating start. ‘Shadows’ is a slow, heavy song, feeling all the depression - Box is hypnotizing with her clear voice and the music flows constantly throughout. ‘The First Dream’ has something threatening in it and definitely a Post-Punk vibe bringing in some vibes of agitation. Towards the second part a more dreamy melody underlays the song, while still feeling dark, the lightness creates a ghostlike atmosphere. Also a song that is absolutely standing out, music- and lyric-wise.

With ‘Dein Herz schlägt noch’ we are at the first song of the album with German lyrics. The restrained desperation is soaking through and the repetitive lyrics and music are getting stuck in your head. ‘Love Song For A Ghost’ is literally spherical and ethereal. The chant at the beginning has something sacral and is one of my favourite details. The song itself is a beautiful dreamy piece music-wise, while the vocals create the down-to-earth counterpart. With ‘Ashes’ the lost and love theme continues. All the lyrics speak about love, losing it, dealing with it. Post-Punkish, 80ies Wave meets 2019th cold and clearness in ‘Frozen In Time’. An atmospheric piece. “I’m your darkness, you are my light” - singing on the opposites that love creates.

‘No Hope’ is probably one of my favourite songs on this record, the gloomy, ethereal music and vocals dominate the whole song and the spoken words appear like a ritual. Hidden, dark, taken away from this world - the desperation gives away for the insensitivity. This songs stands out with the way of using the vocals and sound details. ‘Love Song For A Boy’ is another dreamy, light and melancholic song, covering the soul in fragile melodies and vocals. Another Post-Punk, straight-forward, yet melancholic piece - the title song ‘Zerfall’ - “We begin to fall apart” - a beautifully sad ode to the end of love. The song’s dynamic also wins from the interplay between German and English lyrics. The final song ‘Salt’ spreads a calming layer over the feelings that wake up during the listening session, giving consolation. Letting go, releasing the feelings.

‘Zerfall’ is the flower that was picked up, put in the vase with water, and no matter how much you care, that flower will start dying one day, the leafs slowly drying, falling apart, or hanging lifelessly down, waiting for the last tiny gust of wind to fall down, too. A spherical, haunted album, pervaded by ethereal sound layers, ghost-like vocals, melancholy, desperation and lost love. Dream Pop meeting Post-Punk and melting into a piece of emotional downfall.