Boards of Canada
In a Beautiful Place out in the Country, EP
- Warp Records
Release Date: 2000
In a Beautiful Place out in the Country is the latest EP from Boards of Canada. Unfortunately, I still don't have this Scottish duo's full-length release Music Has The Right To Children. My co-worker Shannon raves about it (but always forgets to bring it in) But perhaps this makes it easier to objectively judge this release. And at least I don't have to pine, like other fans, for years for a new release.
My only complaint with this CD that I wish it was full length. Apparently they're working on one, but I won't hold my breath. I would describe the music as ambient electronic that makes you move back and forth. The grooves are laidback; the music is warmly electronic not too glitchy or too sample heavy. And the rhythm is refreshingly complex, something that I find lacking in alot of similar music (Pole, earlier Bowery Electric, Pan Sonic).
The first song Kid for Today eases us into a new electronic vision. The tempo is down, yet it has a little snap. The electronic instrumentation is almost tortoise-like -lean rhythm backed up by classic analog synths, and the song's repetitive rhythm is contrasted with fluttering keyboards and textured layering. The second song, Amo Bishop Roden, is a bit stickier. A staccato drum pattern is offset by wavering electronic horn, and is kicked together by a dramatic, almost spy-movie bass line. The third song, In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country, combines a Vocoder track with sampled laughther hooked together with simple driving bass line and hip-hop-esque drum beat. And finally, Zoetrope is pure synth magic, which dreamily carries us off to another planet where everything looks edible and we sleep 18 hours a day.
--Sean Ross
seanross@mac.com
