Albums, Review, Techno | Boys Noize – Out Of The Black

Posted by on October 14, 2012

German Techno maestro Alex Ridha, better known as Boys Noize is back after an extended touring hiatus to work on his first album since “Power” in 2009 and presents us his 3rd artist album “Out Of The Black”. Fresh off of his collaboration with Skrillex, Boys Noize returns to the sound that has made him so revered in the dance music community, combining a unique mixture of churning bass lines with techno and acid influences, french house, elements of dubstep, hip hop and more ambient elements. It is clash of the dark brooding beats mixing with the lighter, more experimental sounds.

The album starts with singles “What You Want” and “XTC” that have become quiet favorites among many producers, notably “XTC” with their chugging bass lines and eclectic club nature. “Ich R U” has a stark similarity to his huge single “Yeah” in the progression with a twist of acid elements. The album moves through selections that alternate between the darker, brooding tracks and lighter more experimental pieces, going back and forth between the pieces that have become the staple of the Boys Noize techno sound like “Merlin” and more experimental like “Circus Full Of Clowns” that utilizes elements of dubstep and hip hop. The album nears its finish with “Got It” featuring Snoop Dogg, which I was initially skeptical of, but the blend of Boys Noize’s grungy bass and Snoop’s lyrical dexterity come together marvelously.

This album is forward thinking dance music that draws from a dizzying number of different genres. Boys Noize takes all of these different styles, adds his German genius to them and churns out this dark, frenetic album that is accessible to people of all tastes. Artists are criticized for changing their sound or for not evolving their sound enough and Boys Noize has found that middle ground of sticking to his dark techno roots with a good portion of the album, while also experimenting with lighter elements of dance music to evolve and expand the arsenal of tracks in Boys Noize’s personal arsenal. Check the preview below or you can stream the full album here.

iTunes: Boys Noize – Out Of The Black