| BatBox | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 February 2008 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 51:40 | |||
| Label | Nobody's Bizzness | |||
| Producer |
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| Miss Kittin chronology | ||||
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| Singles from BatBox | ||||
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BatBox is the second solo studio album by French singer and DJ Miss Kittin, released on 4 February 2008 on her own label, Nobody's Bizzness. It was co-written and produced with Pascal Gabriel. The music combines elements of techno and electro and, as Miss Kittin describes it, "a flirtation with Goth culture." [1]
For Batbox, Miss Kittin teamed up with producer Pascal Gabriel, who had previously worked with Kylie Minogue, Boy George and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The album was recorded in Pascal's studio in London over several months in 2007. [2] Of the title, Miss Kittin stated, "BatBox is a redemption. Let the bats in my head fly out. I was saying goodbye to old ghosts." [3]
Musically, the album draws influences from electropop and Detroit techno, [4] and fellow electroclash artists such as Chicks on Speed and Ellen Allien. [5]
The CD booklet and cover art were designed by Rob Reger, the creator of Emily the Strange. [1] Miss Kittin met Reger after performing a DJ gig in San Francisco. [2]
In 2008, "Barefoot Tonight" was used in the American comedy-drama television series Entourage , in the episode "First Class Jerk". [6]
"Kittin Is High" was released as the album's lead single commercially worldwide on 30 November 2007. Rob Reger designed limited-edition artwork for the vinyl single cover. [7]
"Grace" was released as the album's second and final single on 20 June 2008; it included remixes by Martinez and Sleeparchive. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| The Guardian | [9] |
| PopMatters | 7/10 [10] |
| Resident Advisor | 2/5 [5] |
| URB |  [11] |
| XLR8R | 6/10 [12] |
Jason Lymangrover, writing for AllMusic, commented, "As she emerges from the broken cocoon of Detroit and German techno influences into a unique artist of her own – one who is slightly experimental but never lacking a head-bobbing hook – it's hard to argue when she quips, 'Frenchies do it better.'" [4] John Burgess from The Guardian stated, "Her charismatic approach made her a major electroclash figure, and she has sustained her cult status. This is unlikely to change, despite a more pop approach for Batbox [...] The music remains niche, industrial and Teutonic, over which Hervé delivers idiosyncratic observations on her life and gothic pursuits." [9] Rob Woo of Exclaim! wrote, "The production work is exceptional, with a greater depth of sounds and textures put into the beats and synths, the influences seemingly drawn from the best electro, tech and progressive of the last few years." [13] Quentin B. Huff of PopMatters noted that the album "could have been bigger, brasher, and bolder. But, all things considered, it still amounts to a full load of goodies and a heck of a ride." [10]
Conversely, Resident Advisor 's Stéphane Girard said that Miss Kittin "occupies an ungraceful and uncomfortable middle ground between Chicks on Speed and Ellen Allien, and BatBox, unfortunately, won't really do anything to change that nor rally anyone to her solo career's cause. [5] URB felt that "[a]s a concept the album fails miserably, but taken as individual tracks there are some that transcend, the brooding 'Lightmaker' or the nicely melodic DJ friendly track 'Playmate of the Century.'" [11] In addition, Luciana Lopez of XLR8R opined, "Even the glossy, high-quality production can't give this album the energy to rise above the middling bar it sets for itself." [12]
All lyrics are written by Caroline Hervé and Pascal Gabriel.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kittin Is High" | 3:51 |
| 2. | "BatBox" | 3:20 |
| 3. | "Grace" | 3:19 |
| 4. | "Solidasarockstar" | 3:56 |
| 5. | "Barefoot Tonight" | 3:03 |
| 6. | "Play Me a Tape" | 4:08 |
| 7. | "Pollution of the Mind" | 5:16 |
| 8. | "Wash N Dry" | 4:15 |
| 9. | "Metalhead" | 5:23 |
| 10. | "Machine Joy" | 3:32 |
| 11. | "Sunset Strip" | 3:02 |
| 12. | "Playmate of the Century" | 4:04 |
| 13. | "Lightmaker" | 4:31 |
| Total length: | 51:40 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Mother Star" | 3:37 |
| Total length: | 55:17 | |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of BatBox. [15]
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [16] | 91 |
| Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [17] | 48 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [18] | 84 |
| French Albums (SNEP) [19] | 75 |
Electroclash is a genre of music that fuses 1980s electro, new wave and synth-pop with 1990s techno, retro-style electropop and electronic dance music. It emerged in the later 1990s and is often thought of as reaching its peak circa 2002/2003. It was pioneered by and associated with acts such as I-F, DJ Hell, Miss Kittin and The Hacker, and Fischerspooner.
Michel Amato, better known by his stage name The Hacker, is a French electroclash and techno producer who has worked extensively with Miss Kittin. His work has been influenced by electronic artists like Kraftwerk, new wave artists such as the Cure and Depeche Mode, as well as the French rave scene of the early 1990s. His artist name comes from the Jeff Mills track of the same name.
Caroline Hervé, known professionally as Miss Kittin, is a French electronic music producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter. Since rising to prominence in 1998 for her singles "1982" and "Frank Sinatra" with The Hacker, she has worked with other musicians such as Chicks on Speed, Felix da Housecat and Golden Boy. She released her debut solo album I Com in 2004, a second, BatBox, in 2008, and a third, Calling from the Stars, in 2013. She achieved international popularity with the singles "Rippin Kittin" and "Silver Screen Shower Scene".
Emily the Strange is an illustrated fictional character featured in several comic books, graphic novels and in various merchandise and clothing lines. She was created by Rob Reger for his company Cosmic Debris Etc. Inc. located in San Francisco, California.
Ellen Fraatz, known professionally as Ellen Allien, is a German electronic musician, music producer, and the founder of BPitch Control music label. Her album Stadtkind was dedicated to the city of Berlin, and she cites the culture of reunified Berlin as one of the main inspirations for her music. She sings in both German and English. Her music is best described as a blend of IDM and Techno music, which is dance-floor oriented and has noticeable experimental elements. She lives in Berlin and calls it the "best city in the world."
I Com is the first solo studio album by French singer and DJ Miss Kittin, released on 31 May 2004 by NovaMute Records. It is Miss Kittin's first solo release, having previously released albums in collaboration with The Hacker and Golden Boy. As in her previous works, electro-funk and electroclash continue to be the primary genres.
Keith Tucker is a DJ and producer of Detroit techno and electro music from Detroit, Michigan.
Pascal Gabriel is a Belgian-born musician based in London, England and Paris, France.
Two is the second studio album by French electronic music duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker, released on 12 March 2009 by Miss Kittin's label Nobody's Bizzness.
"Rippin Kittin" is the first single from the duo Miss Kittin and Golden Boy's 2001 album Or. The 12" version of the single was released in 2001 on Ladomat 2000. It was re-released in 2002 by Zomba Records and Illustrious Records.
"Requiem for a Hit" is a song by French recording artist Miss Kittin featuring L.A. Williams. It is the second single from the Miss Kittin's first solo album I Com. Co-written and co-produced by Thies Mynther, Tobias Neumann, it is composed as an electroclash and electropop song, that is a play on the line "I'll Beat that Bitch with a Bat." The song was later included on her 2005 EP Mixing Me.
"1000 Dreams" is a song performed by French recording duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker, taken from their second studio album, Two. It was released in April 2009, as the album's second single by Nobody's Bizzness. "1000 Dreams" became a minor hit in Belgium, where it reached top-twenty on the Flanders Ultratip chart. The song was used to open the 2009-2010 Fall/Winter Dior haute couture collection.
A Bugged Out Mix is the third DJ mix album by French recording artist Miss Kittin released in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2006. A number of electronic music recording artists were featured on the album, including fellow electroclash musician Princess Superstar, Squarepusher, and Saint Etienne.
Stefan Altenburger is a Swiss visual artist who is best known as musician Golden Boy for his collaborations with Miss Kittin such as the club hit "Rippin Kittin."
French singer and DJ Miss Kittin has released seven studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, seven extended plays (EPs), and thirty-seven singles.
On the Road is the first DJ mix album by French singer and DJ Miss Kittin, released on 12 February 2002 by Terminal M.
"Grace" is a song by French recording artist Miss Kittin. It is the second and final single from her fourth studio album BatBox (2008). Co-written and produced by Pascal Gabriel, it is composed as an electropop love song.
"Frank Sinatra" is a song by French recording duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker. The song was originally included on the duo's 1998 EP Champagne and became an anthem of the electroclash scene. It was later included on the duo's debut studio album First Album (2001), as well as on Miss Kittin's DJ mix album On the Road (2002).
"1982" is a song by French recording duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker. It is the first single from the EP Champagne (1997) and became one of the first anthems of the electroclash scene. It was later included on the duo's debut studio album First Album (2001), and has been remixed by Vitalic and Anthony Rother.
Calling from the Stars is the third solo studio album by French singer and DJ Miss Kittin. It was released on 19 April 2013 by Nobody's Bizzness and wSphere.
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