So many electronica artists feel that they have to decide between being pleasant and being interesting that
Lunchbox comes as something of a surprise. The music created by this Swiss-Brooklynese trio (Martin Baumgartner, Bruna Amstad, and
DJ Olive) is unfailingly attractive and generally quite gentle, even as it deals in genuinely propulsive beats and grooves from unusual and sometimes downright exotic sound sources. Apparently in honor of the group's moniker, the individual tracks on the program are all named after items one might find in a lunchbox: "Bento Box," "Peanut Butter & Jelly," and "Little Fruit Juice," for example, as well as a few less likely candidates, such as "Jellyfish Roll" and "Crispy Duck." These titles tell you nothing at all about the music, of course, which is generally slow to mid-tempo with beats that alternate between gently rolling hip-hop (as on "Swordfish," which prominently features
DJ Olive's subtly elegant turntablism), gently skanking reggae ("Rough Muffin," get it?) and gently jittery drum'n'bass ("Peanut Butter & Jelly"). Gentle it all may be, but none of this music is soggy or sentimental, and none of it will bore you even if you pay close attention. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson