About this item

From the rolling, saturated bass and dusty twee synth lead on the titular opener, 'Itasca Road Trip' paints an impressive picture indeed. Half-way between the washed-out warped aesthetic of Boards Of Canada and the soft-focus pastoral vibes of Ghost Box / Clay Pipe releases, this truly is something to behold. 

'Badlands' flies the BOC flag with a hi-passed synth lead and field recorded vocal mutterings whilst being bolstered by persistent percussion and airy atmospherics. Move on a little bit and we get the beautiful full-spectrum synthetic swirls of 'Steel Whirl', with deftly filtered synth sweeps panning around the stereo image whilst satisfyingly crescentic elements get layered into a driving cacophony of cosmic bliss. It's a simple formula but works imeccably well throughout this collection, interspersed with more mood-setting pieces such as the follower 'Sylvan Lake'. Entirely differentiated by those that surround it, but sharing a similar thread of cohesion, with drifting synths and crisp beats being warped into a brilliantly evocative noisy scree whilst still retaining an innate melodic sensibility.  

The stunning 'Devil's Tower' paints a grand but intimidating picture, being entirely beatless but unspeakably majestic, humming with analogue warmth and unspeakable weight. Soft synth pads swell in the background beneath the shimmering delayed keys and swirling leads. 

This is a gloriously evocative and beatifully understated cohesive collection of electronic soundscapes, rich with soaring moments and introspective ambience. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: I love Boards Of Canada and always have, but similarly have been put off by a lot of bands that try to take their unique aesthetic and run with it. This is of a similar vein to the OG's but is without a doubt, the most well thought-out and mesmerisingly stunning electronic album i've heard for a good few years. An absolute winner.

TRACK LISTING

1. Itasca Road Trip 02:32
2. Kandiyohi 02:51
3. Badlands (original Version) 03:21
4. Campstop Arcade 01:23
5. Steek Whirl 04:03
6. Sylvan Lake 02:44
7. Hike To The Summit 02:05
8. The View From Harney Peak 01:36
9. Cumulonimbus 02:08
10. This Is A Tornado Warning 02:18
11. Conifer 02:38
12. The Couch 00:40
13. Devil's Tower 04:00
14. Bad Monday Hymn 03:28
15. Soo Line 02:40
16. The View From The Needles 02:07
17. Reynolds Park Watertower 02:29
18. Viewers Like You 01:22