Box, the brainchild of Andrew Stromstad, delivers a stunning experience with Born To Crawl. Scheduled for release on December 24th, the four-track EP is a masterful blend of minimalism and grandiosity. Over its concise runtime, Box weaves stark arrangements with experimental textures and captures the fleeting moments of grief, nostalgia, and the surreal. It’s a sonic narrative that is as fleeting as it is impactful.
The title track, “Born To Crawl,” opens the EP with a minimalist approach that strips the music to its rawest essence. The stark simplicity of a single guitar and unembellished vocals creates a stark emotional resonance. Written in the depths of a cold night, the track confronts heartbreak with unflinching honesty by allowing its sparse arrangement to amplify its impact. This opening moment sets the tone where vulnerability and artistic restraint become tools for profound expression.
“Exposed” takes the listener into a more dynamic and chaotic space. The track’s evolution over three years is evident in its layered structure, shifting effortlessly from gothic noise-rock intensity to haunting atmospherics. With manipulated sounds sourced from unexpected places, the song’s unpredictability mirrors the fluid nature of a nightmare. Box’s vocal delivery, inspired by the richness of R&B harmonies, adds a contrasting warmth to the otherwise chilling arrangement.
A track that begins with an unassuming orchestral sound and grows into a rich tapestry of horns, rhythms, and ethereal harmonie, “Ayla” is named after a recurring figure in Box’s dreams. The song guides one through a surreal, almost sacred journey with its intricate composition.
Closing the EP, “Taku” is a reflection on decay and nostalgia. Inspired by childhood winters near Alaska’s Taku Lake, the track juxtaposes sparse, modern jazz-influenced sections with sweeping orchestral crescendos. The result is a piece that feels like staring into the infinite black of a winter night sky, haunted by memories both comforting and disquieting.
With the EP’s brevity, just shy of 18 minutes, every note and every moment feels intentional and every instrument used to its fullest potential and leaves only impressions of its beauty and strangeness.
