“Ghost Box is the debut release by The Raudive, a band named after the scientist Konstantin Raudive, a Latvian writer and intellectual with a particular fascination with parapsychology. His “Ghost Box” was based on an idea that by recording dead air, or the white noise emenating from an ill-tuned radio, you could pick up the voices of the dead. Raudive himself was convinced that he was hearing them, ’speaking five or six languages at a time’.”

The band were brought together just over a year ago on a similar pairing of indie-rock and science and since conception they have been building on their craft ever since. The band has drawn influences from the lo-fi indie-rock of Sebadoh and Sonic Youth, as well as a healthy regard for 80’s luminaries such as Mission Of Burma and The Replacements. The band is Marc Atkinson (vocals, guitar), Danny Davies (bass) and Chris Watson (drums).

GHOST BOX is a mini album of six songs, I suspect designed as a prelude to a full-length album, and a living, breathing example of the band’s style and sound - which is distinctive and adventurous. Opening track ‘Warning’ provides a chilling, dark foretaste of what’s to come. After a deathly instrumental intro the song lifts its pace to settle on a relentless, almost monochrome, ambience. There are long rock instrumental passages, a vocal that sounds detached, almost incidental. But there’s also a subtle melody under the dense layer of drum and guitar sounds. I imagine a song like this appearing in one of those dark movies like The Matrix…

‘Margins’ offers a slightly lighter ambience, subtle changes of pace, and a more tangible melody as it drives along. ‘I’m Control’ goes even further upbeat and is the most ‘commercial’ song here in that it follows a more conventional indie rock path. The vocal takes on leading role above a powerful bass rhythm, winding guitars and an even stronger melody. ‘Under The Willows’ repeats the formula, while ‘For The Crows’ opens with a German language talking sample before a wonderful indie rock sound takes over with enhanced melody and another set of simple, intelligent lyrics - an album highlight. ‘Torch Song’ concludes the album on a reflective but optimistic note, and for me is the most adventurous song here.

What makes this band stand out is the generally homogenous state of the indie market that surrounds it, especially in the UK. The Raudive is different and more so because the music they play creates its own space, its own unique ambience while remaining accessible to many. That’s quite an achievement.

4/5