Everywhere I Go Is Silence by Box And The Twins (Review)

German dark pop trio Box and the Twins bears some similarities to another “Twin” group: the inimitable Cocteau Twins. There are surface-level similarities, i.e., both groups are, in fact, trios consisting of a female vocalist, guitarist, and bassist. More importantly, though, both are adept at conjuring up gorgeous atmospherics. But whereas Cocteau Twins typify dream pop on albums like Treasure and Milk and Kisses, Box and the Twins inhabit a darker sonic space.

For starters, Box’s voice is much less prone to glossolalia, and she sings in a lower register that still feels sultry despite the icy detachment and world weariness. And the German trio’s songs are just that: songs, with gloomy post-punk melodies galore and emotional heft. (See “This Place Called Nowhere,” with its soaring sense of heartache.)

As it turns out, Everywhere I Go Is Silence’s cover art, with its image of a lone individual dwarfed by a giant, implacable waterfall, is more than apt. It’s easy to let yourself get swallowed up by the trio’s dark, chilly music. You can alternately use words like “dreampop,” “goth,” and “shoegaze” to describe it — but best just to let yourself give in to the flow.