Boards of Canada Release First Album in 13 Years
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- Boards of Canada released their first album in 13 years, titled "Inferno", marking a return after a long hiatus.
- Inferno's title evokes Dante’s hell and the duo explore themes of spiritual deliverance and damnation, though the execution is described as callow.
- Father and Son samples voices of people in faith crises, cut into a light funky rhythm reminiscent of the Avalanches' "Frontier Psychiatrist".
- The Word Becomes Flesh incorporates a sample from an old educational video about human embryo development, turned into body-popping electro.
- Naraka features sampled Hare Krishna chanting and a sitar twang, which the review suggests may be lazy orientalism or mockery of Eastern religion.
- All Reason Departs includes a treatise sounding like a Christian nationalist, delivered in a demonic whisper.
Why it matters: Fans of the pioneering duo lose a fresh, innovative offering as the album’s dated religious pastiches and sloppy drum work undermine the legacy that made Boards of Canada a touchstone for modern electronic music, potentially dampening enthusiasm for future releases and weakening the group’s influence on emerging producers.
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