In 2003, a three-song demo made its way overseas to Markus Acher of The Notwist. The two met at a Notwist show in Boston where they discussed their mutual love of harmoniums and Acher's newly founded label Alien Transistor. Acher personally signed Boy In Static and released Newborn in 2004, a debut album characterized by dead-of-night recording sessions, lush string ensembles, thunderous synths, and yearning vocals.
The following year, Chen and Ross formed a live band to introduce Boy In Static to worldwide audiences, supporting 13 & God (the collective of The Notwist and Anticon's Themselves) on their US and European tours. 2006 saw the completion of sophomore album Violet (Mush Records). Showcasing a stage show of combining Chen's viola and Ross's live electronic drumming, Boy In Static embarked on a tour of Japan with Lymbyc Systym, and two US tours supporting Freezepop.
In 2008, Chen and Ross returned to the studio with invigorated stage-trained vocal cords and a floor-stomping adrenaline born from months of touring. Recording was a variety show. Rickety 1960's toy pianos danced alongside 1980's synthesized drum machines. Precise viola arrangements swept over one-mic improvised drum takes. Intimate 1940's crooning floated over grand orchestral layers. Studio guests included Marc Bianchi (Her Space Holiday), Liz Enthusiasm (Freezepop), and Ulrich Schnauss. The result was 10 new songs flaunting an equal love for sonic experimentation and the verse-chorus pop structure. Candy Cigarette is slated for release in March 2009 (Fake Four Inc & Circle Into Square).
Chen has also shown interactive and sound art in various galleries around the world, including 2002's Sonata for the Unaware, a piece which generated music from video footage of Philadelphia subway commuters, "finding beauty in maddening situations" (The Guardian).
Boy In Static has shared the stage with artists such as 13 & God, Freezepop, Lymbyc Systym, Stereo Total, and Why?. Boy In Static has collaborated and been remixed by artists such as Her Space Holiday, Alias, Styrofoam, Montag, Helios, and Future Bible Heroes.
Newborn
Boy in Static Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
fell down and swallowed the streets whole with a deep sigh
you and i were locked inside
handing out drinks to all our past lives, feeling old
all erased, couldn't say how i came
i'll believe anything you tell me, anything
awoke without a thought inside, smiling and blind
awoke without a thought inside, smiling and so alive
naive with everything you tell me, everything
The lyrics of Boy in Static's song Newborn depict a surreal and dreamlike experience where the singer is experiencing a sudden transformation. The opening lines, "the sky turned white fell down and swallowed the streets whole with a deep sigh", create a sense of chaos and confusion. This is contrasted with the next line, "you and I were locked inside, handing out drinks to all our past lives, feeling old," which suggests a sense of calm and nostalgia. The singer is seemingly in a state of limbo, reflecting on the past and the uncertainty of the present.
The line "all erased, couldn't say how I came" suggests that the singer has experienced some kind of erasure of their past or identity, leaving them unsure of who they are or how they got there. This is followed by the lines "I'll believe anything you tell me, anything", indicating a willingness to trust and rely on others in this confusing and uncertain state.
The final lines of the song, "shivering, palms are clean, without a crease, naive with everything you tell me, everything" convey a sense of innocence and vulnerability. The singer is shivering, indicating a physical response to their uncertain situation, and their palms are clean and without a crease, suggesting a lack of experience or knowledge. Overall, the lyrics of Newborn convey a sense of confusion, uncertainty, and vulnerability in the face of a sudden and dramatic transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
the sky turned white
The surroundings turned white
fell down and swallowed the streets whole with a deep sigh
The environment felt heavy and consumed the streets along with its noise
you and i were locked inside
We were confined and trapped together
handing out drinks to all our past lives, feeling old
We reminisced our past experiences while feeling aged
all erased, couldn't say how i came
Everything was erased, and I couldn't remember how it all happened
i'll believe anything you tell me, anything
I am too trusting and gullible
awoke without a thought inside, smiling and blind
I woke up without any particular thought and was naive to reality
awoke without a thought inside, smiling and so alive
I woke up without any particular thought but felt very much alive and enthusiastic
shivering, palms are clean, without a crease
I feel nervous, but my palms are pure and free of lines
naive with everything you tell me, everything
I am too naive and ignorant about everything you tell me
Contributed by Brayden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.