a r t i s t : The Boats
t i t l e : Faulty Toned Radio
d a t e : 2008
l a b e l : Flau (FLAU07)
g e n r e : Electronic
r l s. d a t e : Sep/2008
t r a c k s : 11
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 46,6 MB
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The 6th outing onto waters uncharted for the enigmatic Boats.
Uncharted waters simply because The Boats refuse to be
channeled into the niche so easily assigned to them.
Having been kindly approached by aus and the Flau stable from
Japan, for a statement of their musical intent, The Boats
obliged.
True to hearfelt form, they have generously delivered their
most accomplished, and highly personal ships log to date. But
listen closely, and dont get too comfortable with your
dividing fencelines of genres as the horizon is blurred from
on the ship's deck by the haze of distance from familiar
isles.
They're still on the same ship, with distinctive melodies
exclusive to them and the characteristic attention to detail,
though they've discovered new lands within the electronic
landscape by utilising both acoustic and digital navigation
techniques and treating them to their unique shaping.
Never mind drawing inspiration from their personal circle of
admirers and friends, as is almost a staple ingredient on a
Boats record, but also this time from the circle without. This
is most evident with the track names that show an almost
forced humour at their musical pigeon-holing.
So, throw off your shackles, down the acoustic guitar, and
allow the undulating textures reminiscent of the oceans to
envelop your world. And lest we forget, don't start with the
Art, and get the Folk out of here.
http://www.flau.jp/releases/07.html
Japanese label Flau have lured Andrew Hargreaves and Craig
Tattersall away from their traditional home on Moteer for a
brand new album of unclassifiable electronic and acoustic song
fragments. The jokey song titles almost seem like a
distraction, as if The Boats are trying to distance themselves
from how honestly sentimental and unwaveringly lovely their
music is. Of course, titles like 'Get Folk Outta My Face'
really doesn't reflect the tone of the music's achingly
beautiful content, and certainly by the time you arrive at the
chiming glockenspiel tones and shuffling scratchy beats of
'It's Not A Folk, It's A Knife', the punning stretches some
way beyond the absurd, and the veil of humour can't obscure
the intricately crafted warmth of these compositions. While
genre classifications have never applied to The Boats'
melodious electronic discharges, there are certain points of
Faulty Toned Radio where you can hear the beats bulking up,
and making strides towards the dancefloor (albeit a very quiet
dancefloor) on 'Cars, Bikes, Boats, Babes', which combines the
plaintive, unassuming electronic hum that underpins so much of
the duo's work and imposes a folksy 4/4 micro-house template.
It's a gorgeously direct piece of music from a band who've
previously made their very own language out of low-key,
headphone-friendly electronics. That's not the only example of
this either: counterbalancing the bitcrushed piano outings
like 'This Is For You To Read' you'll encounter playful acid-
influenced basslines on 'Hemihorn' and tuneful, uptempo music
on 'As For Substance'. In any case, all these pieces remain
staunchly within The Boats' distinctive idiom, but their
vocabulary just got that little bit broader. Gorgeous music -
Highly recommended.
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=121256
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01-Get the Folk Outta My Face [01:56]
02-It's Not a Folk, It's a Knife [02:10]
03-The Melody Mosquito [03:11]
04-Harry, Stop It Please [02:43]
05-As For Substance [03:49]
06-This Is for You to Read [03:40]
07-The Boats Can't Save You Now [03:12]
08-Cars, Bikes, Boats, Babes [03:13]
09-Please Correct Me [04:11]
10-This Blotch Is Crossed [04:26]
11-Hemihorn [05:12]
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37:43 min