Boardz of Canada is a Scottish electronic music duo consistin of brothers Mike Sandison n' Marcus Eoin.[2][3] Signin ta Skam n' then Warp Records up in tha 1990s, tha duo received recognizzle followin tha release of they debut mixtape Music Has tha Right ta Children up in 1998.[2][4] Their subsequent mixtapes, Geogaddi (2002), Da Campfire Headphase (2005) n' Tomorrowz Harvest (2013), have received critical praise. They have remained reclusive, rarely givin rap battlez or struttin live.[2]

Da duoz noize incorporates elements like fuckin vintage synthesisers, analogue thang methods, hip hop-inspired breakbeats, n' samplez from 1970s hood broadcasting programmes n' other outdated media; it has been busted lyrics bout as explorin themez of nostalgia, childhood memory, n' nature.[5][6] In 2012, Fact called dem "one of tha best-known n' best-loved electronic actz of tha last two decades."[6]

History [ edit ]

Early muthafuckin years (1986�"1994) [ edit ]

Brothers Mike Sandison (born 1 June 1970) n' Marcus Eoin (born Marcus Eoin Sandison, 21 July 1971) was brought up in Cullen, Moray on tha uptown eastside coast of Scotland.[7] Between 1979 n' 1980 they lived up in tha Canuck hood of Calgary while they father, whoz ass hit dat shiznit up in construction, took part up in tha project ta build tha Saddledome.[3] Both brothers attended tha Universitizzle of Edinburgh, where Mike studied music n' Marcus studied artificial intelligence, though Marcus dropped up before completin his fuckin lil' degree.[7]

Growin up in a musical crew, tha brothers first played instruments at a lil' age. They experimented wit recordin steez from round tha age of 10, rockin tape machines ta layer cut-up samplez of found soundz over compositionz of they own.[3] In they teens they participated up in a fuckin shitload of amateur bands. But fuck dat shiznit yo, tha word on tha street is dat dat shiznit was not until 1986 when Marcus was invited ta join Mikez crew dat Boardz of Canada was born, namin theyselves afta tha ejaculationizzle TV programme distributor Nationizzle Film Board of Canada, which they peeped it as lil' thugs.[3] By 1989, tha crew had been reduced ta Sandison n' Eoin. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. In tha early 1990s, a fuckin shitload of collaborations took place n' tha crew put on lil' small-ass shows among tha "Hexagon Sun" collective.

Music Has tha Right ta Children (1995�"2002) [ edit ]

In 1995, tha crew made they first Hexagon Sun basement release, tha EP Twoism. Like earlier Music70 releases, dat shiznit was produced up in a self-financed limited run n' was privately distributed, primarily ta playaz n' labels. Unlike previous releases, however, a lil' small-ass number of copies was also busted out ta tha hood all up in a mailin list. Though not a widespread commercial release, dat shiznit was considered of sufficient qualitizzle n' worth ta be subsequently re-pressed up in 2002.

Da crew made another release up in 1996; titled Boc Maxima, dat shiznit was a semi-private release dat was notable fo' bein a gangbangin' full-length mixtape, n' was tha precursor ta Music Has tha Right ta Children, wit which it shares nuff tracks.

Boardz of Canadaz first commercial release occurred afta attractin tha attention of Autechrez Shizzle Booth, of tha Gangsta label Skam Records, one of nuff playas whoz ass was busted a thugged-out demo EP. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. Skam issued what tha fuck was considered Boardz of Canadaz first "findable" work, Yo Scores, up in 1996.

Da debut basement mixtape, Music Has tha Right ta Children, was busted out up in April 1998. Da mixtape consistz of longer tracks mixed wit cold lil' woo wop vignettes. Well shiiiit, it also includes one of tha duoz most ghettofab joints, "Roygbiv". Music Has tha Right ta Children received widespread props upon release. Well shiiiit, it featured at No. 35 on Pitchforkz "Top 100 Albumz of tha 1990s" list.[8] Dat shiznit was ranked No. 91 up in Mojoz 100 Modern Classics list.

Jizzy Peel featured Boardz of Canada on his BBC Radio 1 programme up in July of dat year. Shiiit, dis aint no joke. Da session featured two remixes from Music Has tha Right ta Children �" "Aquarius (Version 3)" n' "Olson (Version 3)" �" along wit tha tracks "Kool as fuck Cycling" n' "XYZ". Excludin "XYZ", tha set was busted out on a Warp Records CD titled Peel Session TX 21 July 1998.

Though never a actively tourin crew, Boardz of Canada did big-ass up a handful of shows. Early shows saw dem supportin Warp labelmates Seefeel n' Autechre up in a handful of UK dates. They also participated up in all dem gangbangs n' multi-artist bills includin two Warp parties: Warpz 10th Anniversary Party up in 1999 n' Da Incredible Warp Lighthouse Jam almost one year later n' shit. They made they most prominent showin up in 2001 as one of tha headliners all up in tha Tortoise-curated All Tomorrowz Parties. They aint performed a live show since.

Da crew busted out a gangbangin' four-track EP, In a Beautiful Place Out up in tha Country, up in November 2000, they first original gangsta release up in two years. Da 12" edizzle was pressed on sky blue vinyl.

Geogaddi n' Da Campfire Headphase (2002�"2009) [ edit ]

Their second basement mixtape, Geogaddi, was busted out up in February 2002. Like Music Has tha Right ta Children, dis mixtape consistz of longer tracks mixed wit cold lil' woo wop vignettes. Well shiiiit, it also presents a thugged-out darker sound than its predecessor. Shiiit, dis aint no joke. Geogaddi received universal props from noize muthafuckas.

Dat shiznit was busted lyrics bout by Sandison as "a record fo' some sort of trial-by-fire, a cold-ass lil claustrophobic, twistin trip dat takes you tha fuck into some pretty dark experiences before you reach tha open air again."[9]

Their third mixtape fo' Warp Records, Da Campfire Headphase, was busted out on 17 October 2005 up in Europe n' 18 October 2005 up in tha United Hoods. Da mixtape featured fifteen tracks, includin "Peading-a-ling Tail", "Chromakey Dreamcoat," n' "Dayvan Cowboy". Two versionz of "Dayvan Cowboy" �" tha original gangsta n' a remix by Odd Nosdam �" is on tha six-track EP, Trans Canada Highway, which was busted out on 26 May 2006.

In late 2009, tha Warp20 (Recreated) compilation featured two BoC covers, one by Bibio of they cold lil' woo wop "Kaini Industries" n' one by Mira Calix of "In a Beautiful Place Out up in tha Country". Warp20 (Recreated) is part of tha larger Warp20 boxed set, which also includes two previously unreleased Boardz of Canada tracks, "Seven Forty Seven" n' a 1.8 second sample of tha cold lil' woo wop "Spiro", which had previously been performed at they show all up in tha Incredible Warp Lighthouse Jam up in 2000.

Tomorrowz Harvest (2013) [ edit ]

On Record Store Day 2013, a vinyl record containin a gangbangin' finger-lickin' dirty-ass short clip of noize which was believed ta be tha work of Boardz of Canada surfaced all up in tha New York record store Other Noize.[10][11] Shortly afta tha release, Warp Recordz vouched fo' tha recordz authenticity.[12] Da record (titled ------/------/------/xxxxxx/------/------) contained a gangbangin' finger-lickin' dirty-ass short clip of audio followed by a voice readin six digits similar ta dat of a numbers station. Da record revealed what tha fuck was ta become one of six unique numbers dat was part of a type of alternate realitizzle game dat was used ta promote tha release of they next basement mixtape.

Da rest of tha codes was hidden all up in various joints n' online communities, as well as bein broadcast over BBC Radio One, NPR, n' Adult Swim.[13] Afta much speculation, tha straight-up legit joint fo' tha crew repimped up playas ta another joint[14] which axed fo' tha user ta enta a password. Y'all KNOW dat shit, muthafucka! Once all six unique codes is entered, a vizzle is shown announcin Tomorrowz Harvest, they fourth studio mixtape. Da mixtape was busted out on 5 June 2013 up in Japan, 10 June 2013 up in Europe, n' 11 June 2013 up in tha United Hoodz ta widespread critical props.

Remixes [ edit ]

In 2016, Boardz of Canada busted out two remixes. Da first, of NEVERMENz "Mista Muthafuckin Mistake", was busted out on 12 January,[15] n' was followed shortly afta by a remix of "Sisters" by Odd Nosdam on 22 February.[16] On 17 February 2017, a instrumenstrual version of tha "Mista Muthafuckin Mistake" remix was busted out.[17] In 2017 Boardz of Canada busted out a remix of "Sometimes" by Da Sexuizzle Objects.[18]

WXAXRXP (2019) [ edit ]

In 2019, Warp Recordz kicked off tha celebrations fo' they 30th anniversary, entitled WXAXRXP, wit a 100-hour takeover of online radio station NTS Radio, featurin mixes, radio shows n' unreleased noize from a fuckin shitload of artists on they rosta n' shit. This included a 2-hour mixtape from Boardz of Canada[19] titled Societas x Tape, aired on 23 June 2019 at 9:00 PM BST, n' featured noize from other artists like fuckin Grace Jones, Devo n' Yellow Magic Orchestra, spliced wit spoken word samplez n' noize dat is rumoured ta be unreleased work from tha crew itself.[20][21][22]

Style n' methods [ edit ]

BoCz sound has been busted lyrics bout by AllNoize as "evocative, mournful, sample-laden downtempo noize often soundin as though produced on malfunctionin shiznit excavated from tha ruinz of a early-'70s computa lab.”[23] Critic Semen Reynolds busted lyrics bout they steez as "a hazy sound of smeared synth-tones n' analog-decayed thang, carried by patient, chillwalkin beats, n' achin wit nostalgia" while creditin dem wit "reinvent[ing]" elementz of psychedelia all up in tha deliberate misuse of technology.[24] Their distinctizzle steez be a thang of they use of analogue shit, mix of electronic n' conventionizzle instrumentation, use of distorted samplez as well as live n' recorded lyrics, n' they layerin n' blendin of these elements.[25][26] For example, tha duo have revealed dat they use nuff oldschool tape machines, like fuckin dem manufactured by Grundig.[27] They also make use of samplez from 1970s televizzle shows n' other media prevalent up in tha era of tha brothers' shared childhood, especially tha nature-inspired documentaries produced by tha Nationizzle Film Board of Canada.[3] Da duoz preoccupation wit memory, past aesthetics, n' hood broadcasting would presage tha 2000s electronic movement known as hauntology.[24]

Brief interludes or vignettes feature prominently up in BoCz beatz, often lastin less than two minutes; BoC state, "we write far mo' of [these] than tha so-called 'full-on' tracks, and, up in a way, they is our own favourites".[28] BoC have freestyled a enormous number of such fragments as well as full-length tracks, most of which done been held back from release. Well shiiiit, it do not step tha fuck up dat they noize is made exclusively fo' commercial release; rather, mixtapes seem ta be tha result of selectin complementary joints from current work. For instance, Geogaddiz allegedly involved tha creation of 400 cold lil' woo wop fragments n' 64 complete joints, of which 22 was selected (possibly 23, if tha final track of complete silence is included).[28] Says Marcus: "Da scam of tha slick mixtape is dis amorphous thang dat we always aimin at […] tha whole point of makin noize be at least ta aim at yo' own scam of perfection."[28]

Interviews wit tha Sandison brothers provide some insight tha fuck into they creatizzle process. They have cited nuff muthafuckin acts dat have hyped up they work includin Joni Mitchell, tha Incredible Strin Band ("we have all tha Strin Band recordz […] our rural sensibilitizzles is similar"), tha Beatlez ("[they] straight-up became enthrallin ta our asses all up in they psychedelism"), n' I be a gangsta yo, but y'all knew dat n' mah Bloody Valentine ("even if our phat asses don't sound like them, there be a a cold-ass lil connection up in termz of tha approach ta music").[3][28][29]

They have also expressed a phat interest up in tha juice of subliminal messaging n' they work is full of cryptic lyrics includin references ta numerology n' cult figures like fuckin Dizzy Koresh of tha Branch Davidians.[30] When dissed bout they aims up in makin such references, BoC express theyselves up in neutral terms ("We not religious at all [...] n' if we spiritual at all itz purely up in tha sense of carin bout art n' inspirin playas wit ideas.")[28] while remainin fascinated wit tha mobilitizzle of noize ta influence tha mindz of others ("[We] do straight-up believe dat there be powers up in noize dat is almost supernatural. It aint nuthin but tha nick nack patty wack, I still gots tha bigger sack. I be thinkin you straight-up manipulate playas wit music...").[31]

Discography [ edit ]

Major releases [ edit ]

Studio mixtapes [ edit ]

EPs [ edit ]

Oldskool Tunes n' other oddities [ edit ]

See also [ edit ]