Boy In Static is the sonic brainchild of Alexander Chen, a self-taught multi-instrumentalist from Boston with a romantic devotion to the shoegazer sound of the early nineties. Among the amazing fifteen instruments Chen uses, the viola, organ and guitar help to create lush and cinematic dream pop reminiscent of Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.
With the help of Markus and Micha Acher of The Notwist, Chen released Boy In Static’s debut album “Newborn” in 2004 on the Alien Transistor label. The sophomore release, “Violet”, was released last May through Mush Records and found itself at the center of a critical landslide. URB Magazine praised the album, proclaiming that it “manages to astonish. Takes a simple color and turns it into a masterpiece.” And Stylus raved, “Lush, gorgeous. Likely to satisfy anyone still waiting vainly for that follow-up to “Loveless”. Turns solipsism into a virtue.”
‘First Love’, the album’s opening track, perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the record. The soft intro slowly gives way to melancholy guitars, juxtaposed by the subtle hopefulness of sleigh bells. ‘Where It Ends’, the album’s first single, could easily have appeared on a teenager’s angst-ridden mix-tape circa 1991, nudged beautifully in between tracks by say, Ride and Chapterhouse.
Boy In Static kicks off a brief tour in Passaic, NJ on February 9, with stops in Toledo, Chicago, Decatur, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.
For more information on Boy In Static, visit Myspace.
Originally published at Kevchino.com as part of Buzzworthy.
Boy In Static - Where It Ends (music video)
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