Music Has the Right to Children is the first studio release by Boards of Canada. The album was met with critical acclaim, being hailed as a modern classic and labelled as a “thing of wonder”
Music Has the Right to Children is the first studio release by Boards of Canada. The album was met with critical acclaim, being hailed as a modern classic and labelled as a “thing of wonder”
7.1
Boards of Canada: Music Has The Right To Children
Artist Origin: 🇬🇧
Release Date: 20 April 1998
Label: Warp Records
Genres: Ambient Electronica
Prosecutor: Rich
Taking us from cancelled Christmas to National Lockdown 3, Music Has the Right to Children has sent me tailspinning into 2021. Wonky as fuck; it's a dense, highly atmospheric and strangely affecting experience - the ultimate soundtrack for your daily hour of government-sanctioned exercise.
That said, it's an album that requires some patience, and only after repeated listens did I start to reap the rewards of its intricate layers and rich textures. Take the sound design on a track like Telephasic Workshop - like Siri talking in tongues. I also enjoyed how everything was sequenced; most notably the many 1-2 minute interludes dotted across the record (Wildlife Analysis, Bocuma, Olson) - perfect little vignettes carrying all the ambience and surreality of a Chris Morris sketch.
Elsewhere, the hypnotic Aquarius quickly had me under its spell, whereas the dark blend of deep synth and trip-hop beats on Roygbiv offered the album's undoubted highlight. A great mood piece for strange ol' times. 8.5
Mike
Dark, Moody, Heavy, Synthy and Melodic and Haunting. This album feels like a soundtrack to a distopian telly drama written by Morris or Brooker. Darkness is never far away here. A mix of psychedellia and calm electronic beats. It feels very late 90's. Definite parallels to Aphex Twin and Lemon jelly and Avalanches in here. The running time is a little baggy but and at times indulgent, but overall I liked it. It felt right to listen to on these bleak winter mornings of late while walking to work. The more I listened to this album the more it has grown on me. 7.4
Phil
This one hit strongest for me on the third proper listen, and it may even be too dense to appreciate fully off just those three. A grower not a show-er? It does show its age at points compared to more recent efforts no doubt influenced by it (early Mount Kimbie, Flying Lotus...) but a good performance all round. 7.5
Dan
Still Bored of Canada? I’m afraid so. With the band’s 2005 offering Campfire Headphase leaving me feeling underwhelmed, I embarked on the proper assignment of reviewing ‘Music Has The Right To Children’ cautiously, with the hope of finding the experience a little more enlightening, and perhaps enjoyable. I’m all for second chances.
At 1hr 11 minutes - it’s fair to say BOC like to provide the full a-la carte experience - and overall, MHTRTC does feel more dynamic than Campfire Headphase - undoubtably helped by the standout Four Tet-inspired, Roygbiv - which is easily the most accessible and stirring track on this record, arriving at a good moment mid-album.
The warped production on ’Eagle in your mind’ and ‘Sixtyten draw parallels with early Aphex Twin and some recent Thom Yorke tinkering, but as with Campfire, my overriding feeling was that it lacked the edge and ear-worminess of it’s notable amibient/electronic contemporaries. 5.5
Adam
This album was a tricky one for me. I think if I’d heard the songs from it as a score for a blade runner type film I’d enjoy it much more. To get the feels I need the visuals on this one. In the end I found it a bit tricky to digest, much like a whole chocolate gateaux, a few bites or slices would be enough....but the whole thing?.....purrrlease. Enjoyable enough but dragged, Unlikely to listen to this one again. 6.5
< Prev | Home | Next >
Taking us from cancelled Christmas to National Lockdown 3, Music Has the Right to Children has sent me tailspinning into 2021. Wonky as fuck; it's a dense, highly atmospheric and strangely affecting experience - the ultimate soundtrack for your daily hour of government-sanctioned exercise.
That said, it's an album that requires some patience, and only after repeated listens did I start to reap the rewards of its intricate layers and rich textures. Take the sound design on a track like Telephasic Workshop - like Siri talking in tongues. I also enjoyed how everything was sequenced; most notably the many 1-2 minute interludes dotted across the record (Wildlife Analysis, Bocuma, Olson) - perfect little vignettes carrying all the ambience and surreality of a Chris Morris sketch.
Elsewhere, the hypnotic Aquarius quickly had me under its spell, whereas the dark blend of deep synth and trip-hop beats on Roygbiv offered the album's undoubted highlight. A great mood piece for strange ol' times. 8.5
Mike
Dark, Moody, Heavy, Synthy and Melodic and Haunting. This album feels like a soundtrack to a distopian telly drama written by Morris or Brooker. Darkness is never far away here. A mix of psychedellia and calm electronic beats. It feels very late 90's. Definite parallels to Aphex Twin and Lemon jelly and Avalanches in here. The running time is a little baggy but and at times indulgent, but overall I liked it. It felt right to listen to on these bleak winter mornings of late while walking to work. The more I listened to this album the more it has grown on me. 7.4
Phil
This one hit strongest for me on the third proper listen, and it may even be too dense to appreciate fully off just those three. A grower not a show-er? It does show its age at points compared to more recent efforts no doubt influenced by it (early Mount Kimbie, Flying Lotus...) but a good performance all round. 7.5
Dan
Still Bored of Canada? I’m afraid so. With the band’s 2005 offering Campfire Headphase leaving me feeling underwhelmed, I embarked on the proper assignment of reviewing ‘Music Has The Right To Children’ cautiously, with the hope of finding the experience a little more enlightening, and perhaps enjoyable. I’m all for second chances.
At 1hr 11 minutes - it’s fair to say BOC like to provide the full a-la carte experience - and overall, MHTRTC does feel more dynamic than Campfire Headphase - undoubtably helped by the standout Four Tet-inspired, Roygbiv - which is easily the most accessible and stirring track on this record, arriving at a good moment mid-album.
The warped production on ’Eagle in your mind’ and ‘Sixtyten draw parallels with early Aphex Twin and some recent Thom Yorke tinkering, but as with Campfire, my overriding feeling was that it lacked the edge and ear-worminess of it’s notable amibient/electronic contemporaries. 5.5
Adam
This album was a tricky one for me. I think if I’d heard the songs from it as a score for a blade runner type film I’d enjoy it much more. To get the feels I need the visuals on this one. In the end I found it a bit tricky to digest, much like a whole chocolate gateaux, a few bites or slices would be enough....but the whole thing?.....purrrlease. Enjoyable enough but dragged, Unlikely to listen to this one again. 6.5
< Prev | Home | Next >