Boy is fiction is a studio project based in Melbourne, Australia. His self titled debut album was released in mid 2007 on the UK's List Records and is licensed for distribution through US label Sun Sea Sky and is available through the usual outlets.
BiF's second record 'broadcasts in color' is due for release on Sun Sea Sky in 2009.
"...a jaw-dropping excellent album of flowing electronica and emotional, epic progressions, which should fit somewhere between the equally-great Xela and releases from N5md. Modest, laid-back, and still beautiful and deeply touching, this is quite a tour de force for both this young band and label, and a release which I wholeheartedly recommend." ~ Ad Noiseam
Good album art is downright lovely at times. Go pick up an Efterklang or Joy Wants Eternity record and not only will you find great music in an attractive cover, but that the two forms of art mirror each other. You can tell what type of music those albums will be just by absorbing the way they are presented, and after listening to the album, the unity of the music and art is unmistakable. The meaning and power of each form of art grows when they are twinned, resulting in a work that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Australian artist Boy is Fiction ties his art to his music so tightly that they’re closer to Siamese twins than the identical ones of other artists. The dark, pock-marked concrete wall on the cover, with the similarly-colored rectangular corrugated tin nailed to part of this wall evoke and reflect the dirty, industrial simplicity of the self-titled debut. At times sedate, at times paranoid, but always effective, the album is perfect for moonlight walks through “streets that follow like a tedious argument of insidious intent” or a deserted industrial park.
Album opener “BiF vs 307” wastes no time in setting the tone for the album, with light keys dancing from the start, creating a subtle hint of paranoia that may be overshadowed by the relaxed, confident beauty the rest of the track exudes. By the time the dirty, industrial programmed beats come in, there is no turning back – the track is burned into your mind, leaving you clamoring for more. Reversed vocal samples are used to great effect on “Why Did You Do That?” and “Stack is Bad,” adding an eerie feel to the tracks while flowing perfectly with the beats. Praise is due to “Should Have Stopped,” undoubtedly the standout track of the album. All the grit, fear, and beauty of the tracks before and after it flow into the dark underlying drone and nagging keys. This is the kind of track that will leave you looking over your shoulder at night, eyeing nervously anyone who happens to cross your path.
This album is the perfect soundtrack to modernism, with all its self-doubt and loss of faith, always seeking something but losing it in a haze of smog and machinery. Though a few of the longer tracks overstay their welcome, this is a solid debut album that is difficult to avoid getting wrapped up in. I, for one, can’t wait to see the next album’s cover.
~ The Silent Ballet
Australian artist Alex Gillett claims that his music "captures those quiet moments of introspection just before sleep". Not that this record by Boy Is Fiction will make anyone sleep by any means. It's certainly pitched at the quiet/ambient end of the electronic spectrum but it's also a record which explores the deepest of emotions.
Beginning in typically subdued fashion, the piano underscoring 'Why Did You Do That' is elegant and moving; a track which becomes more meaningful as it's repeated melody and persuasive melancholia gradually lodges itself into the brain. The piano proves to be the consistent thread in most of the tracks. For 'I'll Look For You' the rainy day misery is countered by punchy beats, the beats are clipped for 'Stack Is Bad' and although it takes a full two minutes for the piano to make its entrance, when it does there's a perfect combination of keys and digital technology. This track in turn segues into the welcoming warmth of 'Should Have Stopped'; it's a moment which evokes the jazz/post rock atmospheres of Bark Psychosis. After this the effects become more distorted but still retain an aura of night time drama. Much like fellow exponents Labradford, Boy Is Fiction is capable of making soulful music from entirely instrumental origins. ~ Leonards Lair
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