 Boards of Canada As many electronic artists ultimately do, Boards of Canada might be riding a bit of a one-trick pony, but what a completely beautiful and engrossing one they've managed to corral. Arguably the coolest band around today, even though odds will inevitably stack against them as their popularity escalates, BoC are pretty much in their own EVP-esque world. Outsiders looking in are given an oblique view at best, but as the adage goes, less be more (quote loosely attributed to Memphis soul legend Les B. More). Young expert schoolkids will tell ya: the players who rarely leave home base are the ones you most want to catch and tag 'it'. The six-song Hi Scores EP was first released in 1996, and saw a much needed release in late 1999. With its solid robin's-egg-blue cardboard sleeve and OCR font, the packaging's a tad lame (especially for BoC), but as any fan who willing laps up any scrap-thrown booted mp3 will remind you, "it's the music, Manny." (?) Fans familiar with 1998's Music Has the Right to Children will feel right at home with the similar vein on its official precursor – in fact, "Turquose Hexagon Sun" is duplicated on both. Fuzzy warm synthesizers freely roam the zoo, the likes not heard of since education slide-show strips 25 years prior. The EP's bookend tracks (the title track, and "Everything You Do Is A Balloon") are standouts, with the latter a picture-perfect example of how truly great music can simultaneously detach and uplift you, leaving you strangely edified. OK, so maybe I DO like a pompous ass, but all I can tell ya is whenever it's on the hi-fi, I sit stoned and helpless. Music to drive in a blizzard to, or form a cult to, or get lost in the Alaskan wilderness to.
Review by AAA |