Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin are the two brains behind
Boards Of Canada. Although Music Has The Right To
Children was the first album from the band to benefit
of a wide release, it was not their first record. In fact,
the story of BOC started back in 1976, while the boys
were still at college. Eoin only joined the band in 1986,
as a bass player. By the end of the eighties, BOC was
reduced to three members, and, by then, the characteristic
melancholic sound of the band was maturing nicely. Beside
the musical project, BOC were also experimenting with
imagery, enhancing their live performances with films
and photos. By the mid nineties, they started releasing
Eps and albums on their own Music70 imprint, only to be
noticed by Manchester based label Skam, for which BOC
would record the Hi-Scores EP.
The release of Music Has The Right To Children,
in April 1998, jointly by Warp and Skam, would receive
much critical acclaim, being voted album of the month
in many dance-orientated magazines. The typical blend
of breaks, quirky melodies and clever samples would also
meet public success. With Wildlife Analysis
and An Eagle In Your Mind, BOC instantly introduce
the listener to the sound that is so intrinsic to the
album: a deluge of luxurious layers of synthetic waves,
amazingly complex heavy hip-hop beats and clever voice
samples, intricately woven into the rhythm patterns, or
surfacing when least expected. The music created by Sandison
and Eoin always sounds so effortless and easy-access,
but is very elaborated indeed, and very often work on
many different levels, not always immediately perceptible.
This means listening to Music… is a continuously
renewed experience. Sandison and Eoin also insert little
interludes between “main” tracks, to give more breathing
space to the listener. It is difficult to isolate one
track from Music…, as all the songs interact
with each other, creating a patchwork of psychedelic dreams,
surrealism and abstraction.
By projecting sonic imagery into the mind of their audience,
Boards Of Canada have imposed their colourful style in
the subconscious of many musicians. It is not uncommon
to find traces of Music Has The Right To Children
in many tracks released within the last three years. Boards
Of Canada are currently working on the follow-up to this
monumental record, and expectations are high indeed.
5/5 |
