Cut.Rate.Box – Luxury Anxiety (Digital EP – Alfa Matrix)
Greg Wygonik was particularly active and successful throughout the ’90s and early ’00s with his Cut.Rate.Box project. The band then disappeared from the radar for quite some time, only to return in 2017 with the rather lackluster album “Xenophobe.” This year, Cut.Rate.Box is poised for another revival, and the previously released single “Reel Life” already hinted at a promising new chapter.
Alongside the familiar title track, this EP presents three additional songs. The material is driven by precise, intelligent EBM influences—at times dark and menacing, at other times soaring with more uplifting choruses. The vocal production is crisp yet forceful, giving the tracks a sharp and engaging edge.
With the exception of the final track, which functions more as a subdued, atmospheric closer, the EP offers consistently strong material. If this direction continues, Cut.Rate.Box seems set for a bright future. (Rating:7½).
Listen to “Reel Life”:
https://alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/track/reel-life-2
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