It's a Boards Of Canada blowout this week, this time with the Trans Canada Highway EP. It has a lot of similarities to The Campfire Headphase (Hell, the first track is Dayvan Cowboy which appeared on that album) but it is different enough to warrant it's own release. It's longer than the previous In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country EP which was only a 3 tracker, and even includes a remix! So without further ado, let's pick apart this EP.
Missing out Dayvan Cowboy, we get the first proper track. Left Side Drive, like the rest of the EP, leaves the acoustic driven direction of The Campfire Headphase behind in favour of the classic BoC formula with thundering beats with hints of synth sprinkled throughout, and even a few reversed parts in the background for good measure.
You may have noticed a distinct lack of the short ambient interludes that were such a treat on The Campfire Headphase, unlike albums previous. And that's where the EP comes in, it features a couple of them and they're a welcome return this ones a quasi-drone piece similar to Corsair from Geogaddi.
Skyliner is a bit of an interesting one, I saw a deconstruction of it not too long ago and pretty much the entire song is palindromic. Basically the melody and the synth sounds the same backwards as it does forwards, though I suppose it's not that strange when you consider BoC's track record with samples and whatnot. It seems to be uncommon as the only other palindromic melody I know of is in Sigur Ros's Starálfur.
And finally, the other ambient interlude: Uder The Coke Sign. I love when Boards do this kind of thing and this track is no exception, they cut it just short enough so that it doesn't get old, so that way it stays just as sweet on every single repeat listen. It'd be fitting to just end the EP right there, but...
Click for Huge
There's a little something on the end. A massive 9 minute remix of Dayvan Cowboy by a one Odd Nosdam. It's sort of the musical equivalent of watching a really old VHS tape, the whole thing is warped and barely sounds like what it used to, but it has that charming quality to it. The moment that airy intro gives way to the now menacing sounding guitars is amazing, and just like that they're gone again. The song doesn't start properly for about another minute and even then doesn't stick around long, giving in to another ambient bit. Overall it plays out like a more trip-hop version of Dayvan Cowboy, it's pretty great.
And finally, another first for Boards Of Canada, their very first official music video featuring footage of Joesph Kittinger legendary skydive from practically the edge of space. it's pretty much what you'd expect visually from a Boards tune, all washed out and retro like. Officially it was directed by a one Melissa Olson, though I suspect it was probably the Boards brothers themselves, considering the tracks "Melissa Juice" from Twoism and "Olson" from Music Has The Right To Chrildren it's too coincidental a name to be true.
...And I'm Gone,
-Claude Van Foxbat
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