By: Boards of Canada Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Original recording reissued Label: Warp Records Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: November 26, 2002
Album Description: Remastered re-release of an early, limited Boards Of Canada release, this nine track mini album is available on CD for the first time, seven years after its original vinyl only release. Track nine '1986 Summer Fire' is unlisted on artwork. Includes Boards Of Canada sticker. Digipak. Warp. 2002.
Amazon.com: Originally issued in 1995, Boards of Canada's Twoism EP makes it clear the Scottish duo of Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin were on to something from the start. As their first recorded work, scarce, vinyl-only copies of Twoism have been lustily sought after by rabid fans since the 1998 release of BoC's amazing, impossibly original Music Has The Right To Children and the quieter, but equally devastating Geogaddi. While not as adventuresome as those records, this EP is still Boards Of Canada all the way, as ample chunks of the band's unsettling and deeply involving style are easily found in songs like "Smokes Quantity" and the title track. Other songs such as the almost danceable "Seeya Later" show a more straightforward ambient/techno side that, while presented more nakedly here, is still quite apparent in their later work. While some might be disappointed after spending God knows what on a copy of Twoism only to find it suddenly available anywhere, others looking for more of BoC's melancholy, spellbinding compositions should take fast advantage. --Matthew Cooke
Pleasant precursor One of those obvious releases requiring purchase only from the already-indoctrinated (provided you were not one of the rare individuals privileged to hear it when it was originally released). Despite the reasonable solidness of the EP, surely the somewhat original electronic pair can be better grasped on subsequent outings, in fact much of the material is retooled on their full length.
BoaRds of CaNadA The Best there is. Genius. I recommend all of their albums since each has its own unique vibe. I also say track down A Few Old Tunes vol. 1 & 2 online (unreleased) especially for "5-9-78"
The earliest BoC available Boards of Canada are all about nostalgia, from the rough analog sounds of their synthesizers to the cover art design, and so it goes without saying that Twoism is a gem unto itself. This is one half hour head trip no electronica nut should be without. The album gives off a kind of duality between childhood nostalgia and chemically enhanced daydreaming like no other. A few of these tracks were later used on other releases, notably the vibrato riding "Smokes Quantity" being recycled for Music Has The Right To Children, and it's understandable; this material deserved another go-round after Twoism all but dropped off the face of the earth before being reissued in 2002. The melodies contained here are so infectious they may catch you off guard. Seemingly at random, in the midst of some mundane chore or daily routine the melody of "Sixtyniner" or "Iced Cooly" may enter your consciousness from out of nowhere. Rest assured that it's a good thing, just so long as you don't begin humming the melodies in falsetto.
Twoism: Convoluted Cacophonies Twoism is such a great little treat from Boards of Canada. The name of this EP really could be called "Dualism" and/or "Dichotomy". Why you might ask, because this 8 track EP really is both dark/mellow and catchy/foot tapping. The collection of songs on this EP is some of the best BOC has put out. As a general statement, the music of BOC isn't really poppy or light, but the mood on this EP seems much more sullen and dim than any of their other releases. I always found it amazing that BOC sound has both elements of minimalism and convoluted cacophonies. This is a great CD to listen to when you would like to relax, or drive down an autumn road with a tapestry of leaves descending around you.
Old-school BoC; another wonderful EP Along with such EPs as BoC Maxima (which isn't even available on Amazon) and Skam/Hi Scores, Twoism used to be among the BoC rarities. People have been known to pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars for their copy of this wonderful record. But then in 2002, Twoism was released to the masses. Just like Hi Scores, Twoism is a brief showcase of Boards of Canada's older style of electronica. As with Hi Scores, Twoism is a nearly perfect blend of IDM, trip-hop, and ambient techno. Each track is a soundscape, an experience. The production quality of Twoism isn't quite as good as their latter releases, but this only adds to the atmosphere of the EP. Twoism is a dynamic recording, as it shifts from the beautiful, blissful tunes of "Sixtyniner" and "Melissa Juice" to the darker "Oirectine" to the strange "Smokes Quantity" and "Iced Cooly." Twoism does this all in only 8 tracks. This album does not quite match the atmospheric and cohesive qualities of Hi Scores or their first widely-released LP, Music Has the Right to Children. "Smokes Quantity" can be heard on MHTRTC, but the listener can tell that the Twoism version is rougher in production. Overall Twoism is a fine EP that should be a part of every Boards of Canada fan's collection. It may lack slightly in production quality and overall flow of the album (as there are a few instances where the songs conflict with the following song, instead of setting up a direct flow between each), but these insignificant faults on add to the character of this album. If there's one thing this album has, it is character. Even though I truly love this EP, I would recommend Hi Scores first, as I believe it to be their best EP. And, if you can, find a copy of BoC Maxima, which was their first real LP. Good luck with that, though. Overall- 8/10
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