Hello All.
First off, I have to say that I am a bit disappointed in myself for
actually obtaining low-quality MP3s of the new Boards of Canada album
before it is released. My relationship with MP3s is complicated to say the
least, a matter I think I have previously discussed at length on the list.
Nevertheless, a friend offered me the MP3s, and being human, I took them.
I justify my actions with the fact that I will without a doubt order the
album directly from WarpMart, on both CD and vinyl (goes with the
territory, being a DJ). But I digress.
Overall, ``Geogaddi'' has more of a dreamlike quality than the previous
one. The tracks, both long and short, float along creating a seamless,
creamy haze between the listener and reality (at least when listened to
through headphones). Not a lot has happened between the last two albums,
the ambience has stayed mostly the same although the rhythm elements have
become more varied, though sadly the rhythm patterns have become more
predictable. I am still glad to hear that Boards of Canada have not let
the goings-on in electronic music affect their sound. The sound-and-feel
of my introduction to Boards of Canada - the tracks on ``Hi Scores'' - is
still present, the album is not filled with technology-indulgent DSP
trickery nor clichés (outside their own).
Emotionally, I find the album very comforting. It is a warm place in the
sun, a blade of grass between the teeth, eyes closed behind the shades,
insects buzzing, a warm breeze. That has probably everything to do with
the fact that the winter is showing it's ugly side here in Finland. First
we had a snowstorm, then temperatures 15-20 below zero centigrade, now
it's some degrees above and everything is melting, blackish-brown and
dismal (now that I have said that, I can see sun shining outside my
workplace window just as ``Alpha and Omega'' started). Listening to the
album makes me feel warm and fuzzy, even in an environment outside my
own control, at work. I feel like I'm inside an unseen plastic bubble of
spring turning into summer.
I do not think that ``Geogaddi'' is an album that should be analysed or
broken down track by track, as it forms a coherent whole when listened to
without the burden of over-expectations that the temporal space between
the albums has created. That said, some tracks do stand out. ``Music is
Math'', ``1969'', ``Alpha and Omega'' (though I just love to play and
listen to it on 33 and 1/3 off the one-sided promo) and ``The Devil is in
the Details'' are the ones that do it for me, though I loath to slice them
out of the context of the whole album. Even the shortest tracks consist of
the glue that holds everything together.
Some have commented that the new album is darker and moodier than the
previous one. I have to counter that the darkness is in the ears of the
listener. I find ``Geogaddi'' to be as light as a feather at times,
elevating, even. As for the comment on the album being a collection of
out-takes and b-sides from the past four years, I disagree wholeheartedly.
Granted, the album is not mind-blowingly exceptional. Nevertheless, it is
consistent with the quality and overall feeling I have always liked about
Boards of Canada. I was very glad to hear that they had not progressed
like Autechre did from ``Tri Repetae'' through ``Chiastic Slide'' to
``LP5'' (though I do like them all as well, they needed progressively more
work to grow on me. ``Confield'' was an instant success). Like too much of
almost everything, progress can be a bad thing. At this point one could
state that ``Geogaddi'' is a "safe" album on the grounds of it not being
surprising, new and fresh. Yet it is not "safe" and all of the latter. You
will just have to listen more closely.
I find it hard to stomach that people have overgrown expectations of
some of the acts who do not release something every other week or do not
subscribe to the sounds and techniques du jour. I have noticed the growing
amount of dissatisfaction on the list, every other release is dubbed as
mediocre because some people are so saturated with MP3s from whichever P2P
service is in vogue that everything just passes them by simply because of
the speed and the way with which they consume the music, technologically
assisted and in the background.
Please, slow down. Concentrate. Listen.
As an afterthough, I will also have to recommend the new Bola album,
``Fyuti''. I went completely into orbit with the first album, ``Soup'',
which I still listen to very regularly (even moreso than the previous
Boards of Canada album). ``Fyuti'' is much more complex than ``Soup'', it
requires quite a bit of thought and repeat listens before it grows to the
proportions it deserves. The picture disc vinyl version is very, very
beautiful.
Cheers,
--
nuutti-iivari meriläinen gordon at diversion dot org
http colon slash slash www dot diversion dot org slash
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