Boards of Canada: Music Has the Right to Children
Warp, Skam/Matador, 1998
I had high expectations for Boards of Canada’s first full-length. Now that I have it, I have to admit I’m a bit underwhelmed. There are some really nice tracks on this LP, but they are offset by a lot of short, annoying fillers. The intro is all right, and the album starts strong with “An Eagle in Your Mind.” I love the creepy sample of a man saying “I love you” before the beat kicks in. But I find the next track, a short piece called “The Color of the Fire” irritating. It’s over a minute of echoey, whiney children’s voices. Other fillers, like “Triangles & Rhombuses” and “Kaini Industries” are similarly unsatisfying.
The high point of the album is definitely “Roygbiv,” though it clocks in at under two minutes. A catchy synth line and chunky beats accompany a playful sample for upbeat bliss. This track sounds like it’s right out of a ’70s promotional video. The trippy and addictive “Telephasic Workshop” and “Aquarius” are other winners, and “Pete Standing Alone” and “Bocuma” are both quite pleasant.
If only Boards of Canada had released an EP with these six good tracks. There are actually eighteen compositions vying for space on the LP, which is bound to lead to an uneven listen. At least US copies end on a positive note with the bonus track “Happy Cycling.” Its beats are fun, and seagull-like sounds enhance the simple melody. (This track is also on the Peel Sessions EP.) This album is worth buying for a handful of standout tracks, but be prepared to hit the skip button on your CD player a few times. I guess I was spoiled by High Scores, on which every cut’s a winner.
