Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More of before! Fantastic!, 20 Feb 2002
By A Customer
From the opening tracks, it is obvious that BOC have based this album on cuts from their last album 'Music Has The Right To Children'. A lot of the instrument samples and loops are carried over, and it would seem that some of the voice samples used, have been carried from the same sources used before (it sounds like weekday morning educational tv programmes from the 1970s, especially on tracks like 'Dandelion')One thing BOC is notable for, is the way that time seems to slow down while the album is listened to. The longer 'full-length' tracks seem to go on for longer than they actually are, which is by no means a bad thing. Throughout the album, the music shifts and changes constantly, allbeit very slowly. Slowly enough, that it's easy to miss the transitions entirely without some careful listening. The album comes across as child-like, characterised at first by the (limited edition) cardboard slip-case, which is styled like a childs picture book, with big, bold colouring and shapes. This goes hand-in-hand with the children's voices that appear on many of the tracks here. The slow, methodical layering of sounds created by BOC, is just what you need after a long day, with its' 'soft rounded edges' sound, and graceful, powerful soothing effect - especially when played quietly - is almost enough to send you to sleep. This is what is meant by 'chill-out' music, not the down-tempo trance that's been churned out by the Ibiza cash factory. If you bought Music Has... , then you should buy this. It's similar enough, yet different enough to warrant ownership. Who knows, listening to
the educational samples, you may even learn something in the process!
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Original and subliminaly disturbing..., 9 Mar 2006
It's hard to define boards of Canada's music, because it changes so often. Now Geogaddi is a brilliant album, not just a collection of songs, but a subliminally disturbing work of art. It's hard to name one song as the best, because you can only get the real effect by listening to the whole thing. When most people hear the words "disturbing music" or "depressing music", they'll usually think of some gothic band or a band with lots of shouting and swearing, but this album has a hidden depth to it, and leaves you with a strange feeling. It starts off with some weird and quite catchy songs, but slowly gets darker, and then you hit "The Devil Is In The Details" which is where the album changes, it starts calming down, but also getting more confused, and sad, "dawn chorus" is quite intense, then "You Could Feel The Sky" slowly relaxes the album, but still maintains the spooky feel, and "Corsair" leaves you wondering what you thought of the album, you know you liked it but you feel sad. Basically, it's great, but you only hear the real weirdness after "I Saw Drones", up until then I CAN be kind of repetitive if you don't listen carefuly enough, either way it's all very suttle, but builds, if you arnet a fan of electronic/ambient music or your mind isn't open, I wouldn't buy this, because you'll be embarrassed to listen to it, but this isn't one of those boring albums made for the money, it's not a scramble through a hard drive of old songs to make a quick buck, it's truly original stuff and worth the money.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful, intelligent and slightly sinister electronica, 21 Feb 2002
By A Customer
It is bizarre that Boards of Canada, although undeniably excellent, should be singled out as the reclusive pioneers of modern music that an increasingly over-zealous congnoscenti have portrayed them as. They've not exactly shifted platinum levels of units, but their debut EP is now worth as much as £800 to collectors. Their music is actually less successful in breaking new ground than it is in assimilating a whole host of seemingly disparate ideas. In a similar way to its highly acclaimed predecessor, 'Geogaddi' takes the drones and intensifying repetition of post-rock and applies it neatly to the electronica landscape. In effect, 'Geogaddi' is an improved version of the initial BOC template - more accessible, more varied and highly impressive.In a musical world increasingly dominated by bland chill-out background music, 'Geogaddi' is a breath of fresh air. This is often mellow and relaxed, but also strange, uncompromising and oddly sinister. The samples of children's voices are still there - and this contributes much to the overall effect, but this time the sounds are also disorientating and chilling. 'Gyroscope' is a great example of where BOC are most successful, with off-kilter beats and repetetive drones creating an edgy, unnerving effect. At its most nasty and intense, 'Geogaddi' demands attention. It is a captivating, demanding and stirring listening experience. It is likely that BOC's reclusiveness will preclude any promotional singles emerging - but there are actually plenty of potential candidates here. '1969' - complete with eerie samples and messed-up vocal effects is fantastic, and the relentless, alarmingly beautiful 'Dawn Chorus' is equally successful. Ultimately, the formulaic structure of 'Geogaddi' serves to undermine its impact, particularly over the course of 66 minutes. Short bursts of noise break up the otherwise effortless flow of the lengthier tracks. Sometimes they are highly successful, but at others they just seem a little aimless. It might have been better to sequence the tracks in a more unpredictable arrangement, to underline the capacity of this music to surprise and disorientate. No doubt this album will be describes as mellow or chilled - but it is much more intense and thoughtful than such language implies. The gradual build up of layers of noise has become a BOC trademark, but they use it repeatedly to remarkable effect here. It served as perfect evidence against detractors who claim that modern electronica is cold and emotionally detached.This music reaches both head and heart. This is one of the essential electronica albums of the year and a grower too. Right now - BOC are proving more than capable of justifying the feverish praise and expectation thrown at them.
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