Boards Of Canada – Trans Canada Highway (Warp/Inertia)

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Not everyone was pleased with Boards of Canada’ third album Campfire Headphase released in late 2005. To many it was too easy, colour by numbers Boards, where the duo had in fact regressed from their last outing Geogeddori back into the smooth ease of their debut, 1998′ groundbreaking Music has the right to Children. But the people who believed this didn’ give the album enough credit. Whilst Campfire Headphase was filled with the gorgeous woozy psychedelic electronic warmth that has become their trademark, it was also much more patient and assured much more carefully constructed and more honed to deliver an emotional response. And those searching for intricate constructions and electronic trickery were never going to get it, because the searching itself lessens the impact. This six track EP apparently recorded in the same session as the album and featuring not only the amazing Dayvan Cowboy but a subtle quite restrained nine minute plus Odd Nosdam remix of the track, continues in the same vein. Nosdam removes everything, working with subtle drones and drifting atmospheres, slyly hinting at the emotional crescendos but playing it close to his chest before giving way to expectation and erupting into a hip hop beats, which ultimately feels like something of a cop out, missing the opportunity to take the material into somewhat new territory – which he seemed to be doing initially. However this tune, Dayvan Cowboy is so good that it almost transcends its ultimately unimaginative treatment. It’s difficult to understand why some of the other tracks were not included on the album proper as they continue in a similar vein and definitely aren’ lacking in quality, even if something like Heard From Telegraph Lines is a little short clocking in at about a minute long. The other tracks whilst not deviating too much from the Boards patented approach again do continue to provide that incredible emotional impact. So ultimately whether you like this EP and indeed the album proper probably depends upon whether you view it as music or medicine.

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Bob is the features editor of Cyclic Defrost. He is also evil. You should not trust the opinions of evil people.

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