Boards of Canada’s influence was unstoppable in the world of late-90s, early-00s electronic music, their pioneering felt even today in many contemporary acts. The acclaimed, enigmatic duo is comprised of Scottish twin brothers Michael and Marcus Eoin Sandison. Musicians since birth, the duo moved to western Canada as children before migrating back to Scotland, though their visit would make a lasting impact on their sound. Their name is taken from the National Film Board of Canada, whose documentary films are considered to be a heavy inspiration point for their music.

Some of their demos date back to 1986, but the first full-length Boards of Canada project is 1995’s Twoism EP, coming a year before their Hi Scores EP in 1996.

BoC signed a contract with Warp Records after their early work gained recognition, and they released their debut full-length Music Has The Right To Children to acclaim in 1998, what would later become widely recognized as one of the most influential electronic records of all time. Boards of Canada continued their run with In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country in 2000, similarly praised to it’s predecessor, it served as a thematic mid-point to their next effort. BoC released their second studio album Geogaddi in 2002, often described as a darker partner to their debut. It received acclaim from critics for its lush soundscapes and numerous hidden messages.

Their third studio album The Campfire Headphase released in 2005, somewhat departing from their signature trip-hop sound, instead finding the duo dabbling in post-rock flavoured, “sun-bleached” production. The album is often credited for creating or popularizing “folktronica” as a subgenre, which has been a lasting influence in electronic music, especially for artists like Tycho, and Bibio. The band quickly followed up with Trans Canada Highway, a 6-track EP similar to IABPOITC, showing the beginning of development into a more low-key, psychedelia-rooted sound.

Following a lengthy and cryptic ARG beginning on Record Store Day 2013, Boards of Canada released their fourth full-length effort Tomorrow’s Harvest, their most chilling, desolate, and cinematic project to date. The band described the sonics as an element of their growing nihilism over the years, the record became the band’s most commercially successful album yet.