― R "P" C, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
As for myself, I like MHTRTC. It's background music, but it's lovely background music all the same. My only consistent complaint with BoC is how analog and cheesy they occasionaly get. Like the last two tracks of the new ep. But at the same time "Bishop Amo Roden" redeems the whole thing. So...a "Classic", with reservations. But still not "where all art should be focusing at the moment."
― Toby, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Stevie Nixed, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
BoC are at their most interesting to me when they move away from the two formulae I mentioned at the start of this thread. "Chinook", "Rodox Video", "June 9th", "Skipping Stones, "Red Moss" are all excellent - I think BoC Maxima is their best album; too much of MHTRTC is overtly unobtrusive and quiet as you say. Also, "M9", which makes all Parr comparisons redundant.
When they go "analog and cheesy" it's curiously endearing because I really don't like what they're copying at all - I like "Iced Cooly" better than any Roger Limb track I've ever heard. There's something in that faded-brown-to-gold process, I think.
― fernando, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― fred solinger, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
boards of canada are really good. i'd say classic, for distilling the one ambient track that's on every idm album and basing a career around it. that's usually the best song anyway.
― ethan, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
Fred: I'm not embarrassed with the phrase "on the money", it's just that the Pinefox has turned it into something of a cliche round here and made it hard to use without a moment's tongue in cheek.
― Josh, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― dog latin, Monday, 7 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Patrick, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Sterling Clover, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Omar, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
'music has the right' took a while for me to love. much of it is classic but there are some boring parts. roygbiv is, of course, the highlight.
the best thing though is probably happy cycling on the peel session (is this on the US version of 'music has...'?)
i disagree about plone though, fernando. i think plone work when they are overly twee and fisher-price like, but too often (on the patchy album) they try and sound darker, or more ambivalent, or go the cod- morricone way, and it doesn't work.
Boc have done some beautiful songs (the last single was wonderful too), and i think its a bit of a shame that they often get categorised as 'smokers music' (which is pretty harsh criticism)
― gareth, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Dr. C, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― K-reg, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
I'd have agreed with you about Plone once, Gareth, but now I find those tracks *unlistenably* twee; I can't get more than a minute into "Marbles" without choking, and don't get me started on "Bibi Plone". Conversely, "Busy Working", "The Greek Alphabet" and "Top And Low Rent" sound better to me than they ever did.
K-reg hits the nail on the head, as often, I think.
― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 8 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― gareth, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Josh, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Vespucci, Wednesday, 9 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
elliot
― elliot, Saturday, 12 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Johnathan, Sunday, 13 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― gareth, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
What better comparison point for a band who call a track "M9"?
― Robin Carmody, Monday, 14 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-five years ago)
― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― matthew m., Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
and into a world where synthesizers coexist with hundred-year-old willow trees.
-----
love this. Also the term 'soccer children' = beautiful, somehow very BoC. Ah well, that used to be me ;)
― Omar, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Billy Dods, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Since one of my earlier threads seems to have been resuscitated, I'll just add that I probably rate BoC higher in terms of *magic realism* than I ever have. I can sort of see where Billy's coming from with the ISB comparison, as well: if you're looking for the halfway point, Bill, I'm waiting with a C90 of "The Fourth Dimension" ...
― Robin Carmody, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 12 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― DeRayMi, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 21 August 2003 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 21 August 2003 02:24 (twenty-two years ago)
The 70's BBC children's television series, The Changes, is anindisputable influence for MHTRC. Robin Carmody is well aware. His BBC Radiophonic Workshop essay is outstanding.
IABP and Geogaddi are minor shifts in the BoC sound. The whole David Koresh theme is creepy, but I love it.
I say they're ace, hands-down, CLASSIC. They make beautiful textures, tones, and melodies with very few synths and outdated samplers and that is no simple feat!
Any ILXors ever been to the Pentland Hills area or met the BoC or any of the music70 collective?
― Cub, Thursday, 21 August 2003 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)
― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 21 August 2003 04:32 (twenty-two years ago)
Boards of Canada = Near Classic; depends on what they do next.
― christoff (christoff), Thursday, 21 August 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)
re: the "british sound" as mentioned above: stirmonster (v. occasional glaswegan ILM poster) once mentioned elsewhere [heavy paraphrase ahead] that he found the prettiness of BoC's music a sharp contrast to the dreadful starkness of the north coast of scotland.
― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 21 August 2003 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)
― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Thursday, 21 August 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)
Not in the north of Scotland though, just next to Edinburgh. The Pale Saints recorded some of their records near there.
― Keith Watson (kmw), Thursday, 21 August 2003 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)
― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 21 August 2003 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)
anyhow, classic, "geogaddi" included.
― amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 21 August 2003 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)
in some ways i think much of their back catalogue is a bit tainted by the beats. as in, they seem unnecessarily leaden. they certainly date the records to a particular time period (its less apparent on geogaddi i guess). i like pretty much everything still, but the beats detract for me, or, at least, are the worst parts of most of their stuff
― charltonlido (gareth), Sunday, 10 April 2005 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― jermaine (jnoble), Sunday, 10 April 2005 09:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 10 April 2005 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― stevo (stevo), Sunday, 10 April 2005 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)
― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 10 April 2005 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)
Father and Son is the most front and center undistorted extended sample I can think of in their catalogue, other than the occasional interjections of “yeah that’s right” and “orange” in MHTRTC
― The Immortal Bird of Avon (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 5 June 2026 18:39 (five days ago)
I mean don't forget Leslie Nielson's cameo!
― octobeard, Friday, 5 June 2026 18:52 (five days ago)
Just a wee aside, I sometimes go on the BoC subreddit and you wouldn’t believe how many posts are just people saying “orange” or “yeah that’s right”. Unfortunately “ I think that’s wonderful” has also entered their lexicon. On topic, new album is 10/10
― I am using your worlds, Friday, 5 June 2026 20:19 (five days ago)
i get his voice and Lorne Greene’s mixed up!
― The Immortal Bird of Avon (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 5 June 2026 20:31 (five days ago)
Marvelous!
― octobeard, Friday, 5 June 2026 22:24 (five days ago)
You gonna call him a liar?
― rameau in the main room (dog latin), Friday, 5 June 2026 22:39 (five days ago)
endless variations on “the preparation for an ilx post is always a tense time”, truly the monty python parrot sketch of th BoC online commentariat
― Cod:Shellfish (emsworth), Friday, 5 June 2026 23:07 (five days ago)
you wouldn’t believe how many posts are just people saying “orange” or “yeah that’s right”
I very much would.
― Vast Halo, Friday, 5 June 2026 23:18 (five days ago)
Orange
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Saturday, 6 June 2026 03:57 (four days ago)
DON: Boards of Canada are, to me, one of the era's defining electronic bands. They are experts in transmuting the nostalgia of our past into the last images we see before civilization plunges into the abyss.
GLENN: But if you're getting down for some end of the world action are you really going to put this orange record on?
DON: Well, yeah... That's right
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 6 June 2026 05:34 (four days ago)
how many posts are just people saying “orange” or “yeah that’s right”
My guess is about sixty-ten
― ed.b, Saturday, 6 June 2026 10:48 (four days ago)
First album so far this year that I've found myself compulsively replaying. I liked them previously, but wouldn't call myself a superfan.
― whimsical skeedaddler (Moodles), Sunday, 7 June 2026 21:21 (three days ago)
I'm starting to resent this album's hold on my life, won't be playing it today.
― disco stabbing horror (lukas), Sunday, 7 June 2026 21:48 (three days ago)
The thunderous rumbles of bass in the second half of All Reason Departs tho.
― nashwan, Sunday, 7 June 2026 22:19 (three days ago)
i took a day off yesterday and listened to Tomorrow’s Harvest instead
back on Inferno today, found myself wondering if they might actually play some shows, now would be the moment if they ever cared to
― Cod:Shellfish (emsworth), Sunday, 7 June 2026 22:23 (three days ago)
Sometimes I forget I ever saw them live it was so long ago (Warp event in 2000).
― nashwan, Sunday, 7 June 2026 22:44 (three days ago)
For a second I thought that was the Warped Tour festival thing and I was confused.
BOARDS OF CANADA OPENING FOR LESS THAN JAKE
― Cow_Art, Monday, 8 June 2026 01:14 (two days ago)
this album is my world at this moment
― The Immortal Bird of Avon (Boring, Maryland), Monday, 8 June 2026 01:30 (two days ago)
If they toured it would sell out faster than Autechre, which I believe took an hour for the entire North American tour.
― octobeard, Monday, 8 June 2026 01:38 (two days ago)
touring thought spurred in part by the particularly band vibe of some of You Retreat In Time And Space - the very live feel bass playing and wah guitar bits, I feel they could construct a pretty incredible set in 2026, blending electronic and live instruments (not to mention what fun they could have with their visuals)
― Cod:Shellfish (emsworth), Monday, 8 June 2026 01:46 (two days ago)
definitely not a sell out in DC, tix were still available until day of show iirc amd my section was not full
― The Immortal Bird of Avon (Boring, Maryland), Monday, 8 June 2026 02:27 (two days ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dj0XDkPNMg
Love this
― JLB Credit (Jack BS), Monday, 8 June 2026 04:00 (two days ago)
I accidentally first played the flexi disc at 33 instead of 45 and it was extra eerie
― octobeard, Monday, 8 June 2026 04:12 (two days ago)
I gotta try that, switching my turntable to 45 is a huge pain
― disco stabbing horror (lukas), Monday, 8 June 2026 05:16 (two days ago)
Was alone in the gym and his morning apart from my PT, who’s the same age as me and open to musical choices, so I stuck Inferno on. The embryo one sounded JUST like Snivilisation in that context.
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 8 June 2026 13:13 (two days ago)
I was already on a big Orbital, Orb and Future Sound Of London listening phase before Inferno came out, so it's definitely helping me lock in with their 'new' sound, real Dead Cities vibes scattered throughout as commented on above (also mentioned/compared elsewhere, but the treated live drum sound on "Prophecy" really reminds me of Reznor/NIN production from the last 20-odd years)
― U look M-A-B-U-L-U-S (extended dub version) (Craig D.), Monday, 8 June 2026 15:17 (two days ago)
What's that v MENA-region sounding instrument at the start of Prophecy..? wouldn't have minded a bit more of that on the album.
― nashwan, Monday, 8 June 2026 18:01 (two days ago)
Maybe Armenian duduk? As already pointed out, several hints of Dead Can Dance all over the record
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 8 June 2026 19:12 (two days ago)
Thanks I'll investigate. (Not so) funnily enough did also go on a big Dead Can Dance dive last week.
― nashwan, Monday, 8 June 2026 20:21 (two days ago)
still pretty much a daily listen for me - "hasn't left the CD player" lol (not a lot of competition for CD player access right now)
saw some reddit speculation today that the LP works as a prequel to Tomorrow's Harvest and that tickled the part of me that loves mapping loose narrative vibes onto BoC albums - that Inferno is like an end of civilisation vibe and TH is a bleak & largely post-human vibe (eg the relative lack of vocal samples on TH)
not trying to find a definitive reading ofc but this kind of speculation is part of the vibe for me (and totally encouraged by the bros if I correctly remember some of the interviews they gave around TH)
― Cod:Shellfish (emsworth), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 00:53 (nineteen hours ago)
This is absolutely how I had both of those albums now. Inferno is the Destruction stage of civilization and Tomorrow's Harvest is the Desolation.
Someone on Reddit tried tying the other albums to the other stages but I definitely buy that thematic connection with the last two.
That discussion totally introduced me to these amazing Thomas Cole paintings that capture the stages:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Course_of_Empire_(paintings)
― octobeard, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 01:00 (nineteen hours ago)
Had->hear
Phone autocomplete is absolutely immolating my posts lately
― octobeard, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 01:02 (nineteen hours ago)
feel I should apologise for overuse of the word "vibe" but honestly not really sorry
― Cod:Shellfish (emsworth), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 01:09 (nineteen hours ago)
Was alone in the gym and his morning apart from my PT, who’s the same age as me and open to musical choices, so I stuck Inferno on. The embryo one sounded JUST like Snivilisation in that context.― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 8 June 2026 13:13 (two days ago)
Snivilisation is a useful comparator: it would seem churlish to complain about "Father and Son" but then give "Philosophy by Numbers" a free pass.
― Tim F, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 05:16 (fourteen hours ago)
BoC blocks McCartney from #1 on the UK album charts: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2026/06/09/paul-mccartney-blocked-from-his-first-no-1-on-one-chart/
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 06:18 (thirteen hours ago)
horrible AI text in that article, c'mon Forbes
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 07:16 (twelve hours ago)
That’s horrific AI bullshit
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 09:47 (ten hours ago)
Enjoyed the ixi reaction vid and good for her dropping it on June 9th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduXn4yeM8k
― nashwan, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 10:22 (nine hours ago)
xp yikes, i'm going to use that as my example next time someone tries to convince me AI writing is good
― rameau in the main room (dog latin), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 11:36 (eight hours ago)
The other day on the trolley I overheard a child say "in 4000 years it will be 6026" which felt like encountering a BoC sample IRL
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 13:34 (six hours ago)
Nice
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 13:35 (six hours ago)
I got the sense she didn't like Deep Time? just passed on in silence to the next track. this is important to me, Deep Time #1 superfan
― disco stabbing horror (lukas), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:19 (four hours ago)
xxp did the child have all-white eyes
― disco stabbing horror (lukas), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:20 (four hours ago)
ixi the piano lady (and Nine Inch Nails fan) has a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduXn4yeM8k
― StanM, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:23 (four hours ago)
oh crap - sorry. I just see a tiny icon on my phone instead of YouTube thumbnails
― StanM, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:24 (four hours ago)
xp I think this is because she already did a full analysis of Deep Time in a separate vid when it was released as Tape 05also lol
― feed me with your chips (zchyrs), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:27 (four hours ago)
thanks, I'm glad I asked!
― disco stabbing horror (lukas), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 15:39 (four hours ago)
She’s so awesome
― Hey Bob (Scik Mouthy), Wednesday, 10 June 2026 16:17 (three hours ago)
I was waiting for ixi's video!!! nice
― octobeard, Wednesday, 10 June 2026 18:10 (two hours ago)