It’s been seven years since we last heard from Boards of Canada, and not much has changed. At least they’ve ignored the whole dubstep thing.
It may be selfish to expect progress or surprises, but Sandison and Eoin can be understood for sticking with what works. They pick up right where the excellent Trans Canada Highway left off. Overall, it’s less bland and rambly than The Campfire Headphase and less scattershot than Geogaddi.
They take their time building momentum, leading off with two intro tracks. “Reach for the Dead” is a mournful piece that doesn’t really pick up speed until the halfway mark. “Jacquard Causeway” feels like an odd waltz until the melody coalesces and you realize you’ve been listening to a lurching 4/4 beat the entire time. It’s the most unique thing they’ve done in awhile. “Cold Earth” is impeccable track, but it’s nothing we haven’t heard from them before, and this is part of the problem.
“Sick Times” reminds me of “Pete Standing Alone,” while “Palace Posy” would have fit comfortably on the second side of Twoism. While “Nothing Is Real” is good, it could pass for an update of “Everything You Do Is a Balloon.” Everything’s solid, but nothing really grabs the collar like “Roygbiv” or “The Beach at Redpoint.”
If anything, Tomorrow’s Harvest plays a bit like a nostalgic greatest-hits reel. Coming from these guys, that’s not really a bad thing at all. It’s still a superb record in its own right. I just wish they’d taken a few more chances.