Boards of Canada – Music Has the Right to Children

Sitting in my new bedroom as the remaining few hours of 2008 dwindle, I bring with it my final review of the year, I present you with Boards of Canada’s “Music Has The Right To Children”. BoC are a duo who use the warmest electronic equipment and make it nostalgic, the kind that sticks to your insides and heart. Although this particular album isn’t from 2008, I chose to review this, as it remains memorable with hints of new flavors every year I listen to it.

Eighteen rhythmic tracks all beat heavy and all uniquely satisfying. “Wildlife Analysis” is a song with an almost thin membrane, sounding like the beginning of a documentary (kind of BoCs thing, look into their use of old documentaries). Briefly subduing the listener to a world yet to come, the all seeing ominous kaleidoscopic track “An Eagle In Your Mind” has now made its way into your ears. Many tracks, such as the innocent “Sixtyten”, circle around a simple beat that swerves throughout the course of the song. Never do the tracks rely on repeats, but openly refer to them time and time again (as a source?). Spacey “Kaini Industries” in its short time morphs to a wooden sound, and leads to wondrous “Bocuma”. A song that feels like it’s exploring and tapping into what your mind conceives it to be. “Open the Light” sounds like a realization a new way.

Don’t be fooled by “Roygbiv” although it begins with a heavy sound it becomes fun and easy going. Same goes with “The Color of Fire”, a track that may disturb some and cater to others toddler days. This is an album best taken as a whole. A few tracks just don’t meet the minimum time standards to be played alone, and some just refuse to paint on others canvases (lets call these playlist?!).

My personal pick off this album is non other then “Turquoise Hexagon Sun”. A song to me that feels spectator like, and full of good times, yet splintered with regret. This track is an ambient wonder, you distinctly can tell what you’re hearing (pool balls shuffling about, distant questions, brief chatter), but never in pristine clarity. This leaves ones mind to `fill in the blanks’, as years pass the blanks are like a crossword puzzle for an elder. As their diction grows some blanks are near obvious yet they tinker for a deeper meaning.

What I hope you’ve gained so far ,from this review, is although beat heavy it has so much more to offer then the casual `chill’ albums. People are rottenly too critical on loops and miscellaneous things to really feel the album, just continue grading them on X (sound, originality, cleverness ooo extra points!!! Etc). This is an album that can be heard through your ears, eyes, and mind. First few listens may not seem like much but it engulfs you eventually in a land blurry but familiar and never the less comforting. Soar through the skies back to your first flight, or relive the fresh pine air of those mountain park trails. Even uncover some of your day to day doings in kindergarten. Those 10.A.M. bright blue skies, those old shows…This is nostalgia and this is why it’s never bad to relive it. Just reminiscing of it makes people smile, well how about musically absorbing it?

The last thing I’d like to talk about is the albums nostalgic properties. Many remember listening to an old Zeppelin album or Soundgarden mix tape, they remember where they were and yearn for those times again. This album stays current, you might get nostalgia from listening to this album years later, but not sitting in your room with headphones on (like with Zep), it offers a new chapter to recollect upon. I’m sorry if any of this sounds confusing, but trust me on that one. Tells the past, present, and future without even knowing who you are or where you’ve lived. Does that not beat a crystal ball?

Boards of Canada you have done something many strive to do, and so few ever achieve. Memorable, warm, soothing, and just overall interesting, this is an album with high replay value. Some days you can listen to it, other days you can become part of it. So for my final few minutes, before I leave to go who knows where to watch the ball drop, I enlighten myself of a review I’ve been meaning to write. Could never find the right words except 5/5.

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The Future Sound of London – Dead Cities

This album is a testament to advanced creative thinking. It always was ahead of its time, and i think it still is almost 8 years on. Nothing else exists that sounds anything like this.
Having been an FSOL fan for much of my life, i have never been compelled to write anything about them. Til now, mainly because of the fact that they are still going strong and their music is just as lush and atmospheric as it was a decade ago.

Where to begin. Dead Cities is the only record i have ever sold, probably due to the fact that it was seriously creepy, disjointed and a little bit worrying, especially when accompanied by the artwork, which was a little too apocalyptic for my tastes when i was 15 years old and still listening to Apollo 440.

What a pleasant surprise it was to reaquire this record 6 years on since parting company. FSOL don’t make music like most people do. Their live show is a testament to that. It can only be described as a living, breathing soundscape (anybody with the Lifeforms EP will recognise this), which changes frequently and evokes all kinds of emotions, from fear to joy. The attention to detail is quite staggering, the only other artist that springs to mind with such vision is Amon Tobin.

Daker techno moments surface with Herd Killing and We Have Explosive, which are probably the most accessible tracks on the record. Lesser known gems include Vit Drowning and Yage, a stunningly beautiful section of four tracks which include Everyone in the World…, My Kingdom, Max and Antique Toy. This particular section of the album is the backbone of it, where the rest of it fleshes it out perfectly and provides cohesion.

The closer is a gem. Just when you think all is said and done, FSOL have one last thing on their mind. The heavy metal thrash at the end is very interesting. It would seem almost like a therapy session for the group by trying to get something off of their chests and the signalling of an end of a musical chapter of the band. As we all know, their consecutive albums after this was their Amorphous Androgynous outings which were largely inspired by the instrumental experimentation that went on at this time in the band.

But why 4 stars and not 5? If anybody has listened to much FSOL, this album can only achieve 4 stars with respect to FSOL’s standards. Lifeforms (EP and Album), Accelerator and The Isness have a charm about them. Where these albums are about a celebration of life (amongst other things), this album is about paranoia and the inevitability of death and despair.

The apocalyptic feel of this album is well integrated into the music and artwork, along with their short film Teachings from the Electronic Brain, and it must be said that it does have its lighter moments in the form of My Kingdom, Antique Toy and Yage (I can’t get it out of my head), so it’s not all doom and gloom.

Maybe get the others before this one if you are new to FSOL. It is not a true reflection on the band as a whole, it serves more to demonstrate that “yes, we can go there if we want to” kind of mentality.

But then again, if you like good electronic music, especially those who like Mr Tobin’s work, Global Communication and to a lesser extent Brian Eno’s ambient outings, you shouldn’t be disappointed with this. A timeless classic. Just wish i never sold it in the first place.

Buy Future Sound of London – Dead Cities @ Amazon