I've just managed to get my hands on the Boards of Canada album. I was
just in town on my weekly vinyl shop, when I found a promo of it going
for a tenner - I didn't actually have any money to buy it, but it was
too good to miss, so I switched it (after all, that's not real money, at
least until they send you the bill)
I know it's probably better to wait a while for it all to sink in before
writing a review of it, but at the moment it seems pretty damn good.
The only previous BoC releases I've heard were the Skampler tracks and
the Mira Calix remix - I liked those, especially for the first few times
I heard them, but I don't play them so much nowadays. Unlike stuff by
Autechre (the nearest comparison), they didn't reveal themselves to me
over a period of time. Most of it was all there on the first listen.
Anyway, about the album, a lot of it is in a reasonably similar style to
the two aforementioned tracks - there's no great departure, but hey, if
it ain't broke, don't fix it. Like the phils or bolts in Black Dog
albums, it's got lots of short tracks to connect the songs. A lot of
the tracks have got these nice hiphop influenced beats or structures,
and some, like Sixtyten, have got some good off-kilter scratching. I'm
only on my third listen at the moment, but one of the favourite tracks
so far is Telephastic Workshop, which has got lots of keynell style
cut-up voices. There was a description in the press release talking
about subliminal inserts in their songs, and there are similar bits
throughout the album with voices scratched or cut up into single
syllables. Bits I can make out include 'Boards of Canada', 'Eight', 'I
Love Mum', 'Orange', 'Yeah, that's right'. Other standout tracks
include Rue The Whirl, which sounds like something James Lavelle would
have loved to release, Aquarius - the only good use of bass-slapping
I've ever heard (very trippy in the bargain), Pete Standing Alone, which
has got some amazing rhythms going throughout it, and Open The Light,
which is just really nice and relaxing. Overall it seems like a really
great chilled album, one of the best ones I've bought in a long while,
and some of the melodies are just, well, lovely I guess would be the
best word. Ideal for putting on after a hard night and listening along
to.
While I was blowing money I didn't have, I also picked up the B12 EP and
an L Double promo. These are pretty good as well - guess it's been a
good day for record buying.
If anyone is desperate to hear this album, and can't wait until April
20th, then make me an offer - I could certainly do with the money.
Dan.
PS: I know this is non-IDM, but has anyone heard Mogwai Young Team? I
heard a live track of theirs on a CD given away with the NME and can't
stop playing it. Brings me right back to when I was 14 listening to
Sonic Youth/MBV all the time.
np: what else? Boards of Canada album.