Boston-based Air Traffic Controller latest release of Black Box is a shimmering indie pop production intent on winning your affections with its childlike charm. The album's range in sound and lyrical substance come from the simplest of ideas, fleshed out in catchy singalong choruses with lush melodies.
Not to be confused with their Canadian rocking counterparts, the American group originated out of singer-songwriter Dave Munro’s demos sent home during U.S. Navy deployment as an air traffic controller. Meeting fellow singer-songwriter Casey Sullivan soon after led to the collaborative works that would become known as Air Traffic Controller.
Black Box covers a wide range of style from the get go: distorted orchestral arrangements (“People Watching”), ethereal synthesized echoes (“Phantom”) and folksy rhythms (“What You Do To My Soul”). The entirety of the album is a jarring mix of sound that captures one moment at a time, delving into themes across the spectrum from childhood (“Creature of the Night”) to twisted emotions (“This Is Love”) to overcoming depression (“Are You With Me”).
“The House” is the obvious single choice, with its soaring chorus and fun-loving themes. The accompanying music video is a hilarious take of high school abandonment – illustrating in a show-and-tell style affront the class on the togetherness found back at the house, highlighted with birthday cake… and Nintendo… and a superman-caped pet dog… and characters strongly resembling the crowd listening in on the spectacle. While as the lead character’s brother points out none of those things actually happen, its good-natured fun makes it all more lovable.
Air Traffic Controller tries working this theme throughout the album. The highs are adventurous, endearing, and downright silly. The lows are provocative but hopeful, keenly self-aware despite the naivety. As the quirky Ronson remix abruptly fades the Black Box album does indeed end as a lovable mess of things, but nevertheless quite lovable.