knox is the band brainchild of brother-sister duo nic and eliza coolidge. hailing from boston and new york, the siblings released their second ep, here, on december 3rd, and it is a big step forward for the band. formed less than two years ago, in march 2011, knox finds themselves working with the likes of john tejada and kuxxan suum on this release, and the outcome is stunning. here is five-song set full of ice and echoes. it runs as close to the third rail of impersonation, but flies away so quickly that knox sounds contextual and perfectly fresh. the influences from james blake is clear: the swooping, bomber bass and half-timey compressed dub beats, here could also easily be an inventive b-side to the latest how to dress well album. but, with the limited scale, interspersed remixes and foundling status in the scene, i would say it is likely a more impressive feat. the ep as a whole is desolate. expansive spaces filled with cold little beats and vocal washes, exploring in the course of five songs an icescape aesthetic with a sense of place usually reserved for full-length albums. the remixes blend so seamlessly that i didnt even realize they were during my first, casual listen.
