BatBox

For Batbox, Miss Kittin teamed up with producer Pascal Gabriel, who had previously worked with Kylie Minogue, Boy George and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The album was recorded in Pascal's studio in London over several months in 2007.{{cite web | last = Greig | first = Jasper | url = http://www.electronicbeats.net/Music/Features/In-the-Batbox-with-Miss-Kittin | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130221135935/http://www.electronicbeats.net/Music/Features/In-the-Batbox-with-Miss-Kittin | archive-date = 2013-02-21 | title = In the Batbox with Miss Kittin | work = Electronic Beats | date = 17 March 2008 | access-date = 7 November 2010}} Of the title, Miss Kittin stated, "BatBox is a redemption. Let the bats in my head fly out. I was saying goodbye to old ghosts."{{cite web| last= | first= |url = http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/36533/Miss_Kittin_Stretching_out_her_claws| title = Miss Kittin: Stretching out her claws | work = In the Mix | date = 21 February 2008 | access-date = 7 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226134508/http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/36533/Miss_Kittin_Stretching_out_her_claws |archive-date=26 February 2008}}

Musically, the album draws influences from electropop and Detroit techno, and fellow electroclash artists such as Chicks on Speed and Ellen Allien.

The CD booklet and cover art were designed by Rob Reger, the creator of Emily the Strange. Miss Kittin met Reger after performing a DJ gig in San Francisco.

In 2008, "Barefoot Tonight" was used in the American comedy-drama television series Entourage, in the episode "First Class Jerk".{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2901974/|title=Miss Kittin|website=IMDb|access-date=2011-03-05}}

"Kittin Is High" was released as the album's lead single commercially worldwide on 30 November 2007. Rob Reger designed limited-edition artwork for the vinyl single cover.{{cite web |url=http://www.kittinbatbox.com/kittin_is_high/index.html |title=Kittin Is High – The first single off Miss Kittin's album 'BatBox', released on 30th November 2007. |website=KittinBatBox.com |access-date=5 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414212204/http://www.kittinbatbox.com/kittin_is_high/index.html |archive-date=14 April 2009}}

"Grace" was released as the album's second and final single on 20 June 2008; it included remixes by Martinez and Sleeparchive.{{cite web |url=http://www.kittinbatbox.com/grace/index.html |title=Out now, MissKittin's new BatBox release: "Grace" EP with remixes by Martinez and Sleeparchive. |website=KittinBatBox.com |access-date=8 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415114809/http://www.kittinbatbox.com/grace/index.html |archive-date=15 April 2009}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = The Guardian

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev3 = PopMatters

| rev3score = 7/10

| rev4 = Resident Advisor

| rev4score = 2/5

| rev5 = URB

| rev5score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}

| rev6 = XLR8R

| rev6score = 6/10

}}

Jason Lymangrover, writing for AllMusic, commented, "As she emerges from the broken cocoon of Detroit and German techno influences into a unique artist of her own – one who is slightly experimental but never lacking a head-bobbing hook – it's hard to argue when she quips, 'Frenchies do it better.'"{{cite web| last=Lymangrover | first= Jason |url = https://www.allmusic.com/album/batbox-mw0000751834| title = Batbox – Miss Kittin | website = AllMusic | year = 2008 | access-date = 4 July 2021}} John Burgess from The Guardian stated, "Her charismatic approach made her a major electroclash figure, and she has sustained her cult status. This is unlikely to change, despite a more pop approach for Batbox [...] The music remains niche, industrial and Teutonic, over which Hervé delivers idiosyncratic observations on her life and gothic pursuits."{{cite web| last=Burgess | first= John |url = https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/feb/08/electronicmusic.shopping| title = CD: Miss Kittin, Batbox | work = The Guardian | date = 8 February 2008 | access-date = 7 November 2010}} Rob Woo of Exclaim! wrote, "The production work is exceptional, with a greater depth of sounds and textures put into the beats and synths, the influences seemingly drawn from the best electro, tech and progressive of the last few years."{{cite web|last=Woo|first=Rob|title=Miss Kittin: Batbox|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/miss_kittin-batbox|work=Exclaim!|date=19 February 2008|access-date=4 July 2021}} Quentin B. Huff of PopMatters noted that the album "could have been bigger, brasher, and bolder. But, all things considered, it still amounts to a full load of goodies and a heck of a ride."{{cite web| last=Huff | first= Quentin B. |url = http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/miss-kittin-batbox| title = Miss Kittin: BatBox | work = PopMatters | date = 5 March 2008 | access-date = 5 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417072556/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/miss-kittin-batbox |archive-date=17 April 2012}}

Conversely, Resident Advisor{{'s}} Stéphane Girard said that Miss Kittin "occupies an ungraceful and uncomfortable middle ground between Chicks on Speed and Ellen Allien, and BatBox, unfortunately, won't really do anything to change that nor rally anyone to her solo career's cause.{{cite web| last=Girard | first= Stéphane |url = http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5008| title = RA Reviews: Miss Kittin – Batbox (Album) | work = Resident Advisor | date = 2008-01-30 | access-date = 7 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023201500/http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=5008 |archive-date=23 October 2012}} URB felt that "[a]s a concept the album fails miserably, but taken as individual tracks there are some that transcend, the brooding 'Lightmaker' or the nicely melodic DJ friendly track 'Playmate of the Century.'"{{cite web|url=http://www.urb.com/2008/03/05/miss-kittin-batbox/ |title=Miss Kittin – BatBox (Review) |work=URB |date=5 March 2008 |access-date=8 November 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205092205/http://www.urb.com/2008/03/05/miss-kittin-batbox/ |archive-date=5 February 2013}} In addition, Luciana Lopez of XLR8R opined, "Even the glossy, high-quality production can't give this album the energy to rise above the middling bar it sets for itself."{{cite web | last = Lopez | first = Luciana | url = http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/miss-kittin/batbox | title = Miss Kittin: Batbox | work = XLR8R | date = 8 April 2008 | access-date = 7 November 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110524034201/http://www.xlr8r.com/reviews/miss-kittin/batbox | archive-date = 24 May 2011}}

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Caroline Hervé and Pascal Gabriel

| title1 = Kittin Is High

| length1 = 3:51

| title2 = BatBox

| length2 = 3:20

| title3 = Grace

| length3 = 3:19

| title4 = Solidasarockstar

| length4 = 3:56

| title5 = Barefoot Tonight

| length5 = 3:03

| title6 = Play Me a Tape

| length6 = 4:08

| title7 = Pollution of the Mind

| length7 = 5:16

| title8 = Wash N Dry

| length8 = 4:15

| title9 = Metalhead

| length9 = 5:23

| title10 = Machine Joy

| length10 = 3:32

| title11 = Sunset Strip

| length11 = 3:02

| title12 = Playmate of the Century

| length12 = 4:04

| title13 = Lightmaker

| length13 = 4:31

| total_length = 51:40

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = iTunes Store bonus track{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/batbox/271404561 |title=BatBox by Miss Kittin |website=Apple Music |location=United States |access-date=4 July 2021}}

| title14 = Mother Star

| length14 = 3:37

| total_length = 55:17

}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of BatBox.{{cite AV media notes |title=BatBox |type=liner notes |others=Miss Kittin |publisher=Nobody's Bizzness |year=2008 |id=BIZZ2CD}}

• Miss Kittin – production
• Pascal Gabriel – production
• Mike Marsh – mastering at The Exchange (London)
• Rob Reger – artwork, design

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090211144838/http://kittinbatbox.com/ Official BatBox website]

{{Miss Kittin}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Batbox}}

Category:2008 albums

Category:Albums produced by Pascal Gabriel

Category:2000s concept albums

Category:Miss Kittin albums