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Nov 21, 2016 Web Exclusive By Kyle Mullin

“Forget,” is an odd title for Boxed In to give the best song on his new album Melt, considering the track has both a groove and chorus that are catchy enough to stay in your mind, and keep you humming along, long after you’ve finished listening to it. And while “Forget” is an undeniable highlight, much of this synth drenched, highly danceable LP is equally memorable. Those attributes are obvious from the opening track, “Jist,” for which Boxed In (the stage name for British beat smith, songwriter, singer, and record producer Oli Bayston) has built a galvanizing mix of punchy percussion and warbling synths that seem precisely engineered to leave toes tapping and hips shaking.

Midway track “Oxbow” is equally ear wormy, though far more melancholy, than the infectious “Jist.” On “Oxbow,” Boxed In utilizes a thick, thwacking backbeat with gentle keyboard punctuations that coincide neatly with his swooning singing of lyrics like, “When you look at me so helplessly.” Melt‘s title track pulls off an even trickier juxtaposition, as its sunny synths and happy go lucky jangling percussion contrast with lyrics about a lover fading away, along with hopeful closing bars about distance melting away, just as yearning guitars chime in for the climax. These enthralling elements, and more, make Melt a white hot album that will leave listeners soaking up every note. (www.boxedinmusic.com)

Author rating: 8/10