Tomorrow's Harvest

[d e n]

jcnporter was referring to the process of making a sound's source unrecognizable. this is part of BOC's magick. distress maybe synonymous with what BOC has called "destroying sounds".

i see what jnc means re TH being less 'distressed' because the arpeggiated synth lines are represented so heavily and they are clearly synthesizers. however, there is so much going on under the surface.

re TCH––yah, there are lots of guitars on TCH (i actually only recently heard what sounds like bass being played with a pic on Constants Are Changing when listening to the 12" on a busted old 45 player––may be one of my favorite BOC compositions)

, yet still, at least to me, in the context of traditional instruments, TCH is full of unfamiliar sounds

[Najlepsiejszy]

Processed- I did understand. Distressed- not so much. I hope he'll explain soon

It's not just TCH. There are way more instantly recognizable instruments even on Geogaddi than on TH

[d e n]

yeah, i don't disagree... i was only trying to express that TH wasn't made within a computer box...

i think with regards to what were talking about 'distress' is a form of processing .

[Najlepsiejszy]

It wasn't, but it's definitely less organic

Oh, okay

[d e n]

absolutely! and I think that was intentional... TH may describe a loss of the worlds present in Campfire Headphase

at least we have the sanctuary recorded on wax

[jcnporter]

jcnporter was referring to the process of making a sound's source unrecognizable. this is part of BOC's magick. distress maybe synonymous with what BOC has called "destroying sounds".

i see what jnc means re TH being less 'distressed' because the arpeggiated synth lines are represented so heavily and they are clearly synthesizers. however, there is so much going on under the surface.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant, while there's a lot going on, the instruments (including synths) to me sound much 'cleaner' than on other albums, less of the tape distortion etc.
I think the style/period of music that they went for on TH is more conventionally electronic/synthy sounding, less warm and 'organic' than previous albums, so probably sounds more 'processed' in the way that an electronic album sounds more processed than a conventional rock album.
However, judging by the way BOC works (from what we know from their interviews), ironically probably more processing is needed to achieve the more organic/distorted sound, if that makes sense.

[Najlepsiejszy]

I think that was intentional, too. You can't convey the messages they want to get across with lush sounds



I don't think there's a lot of things going on TH. Sure, it's less processed, but it's definitely emptier.

[buddy vector]

when listening closely to Tomorrow's Harvest on good headphones, you notice that it is in fact not 'empty' at all.
Quite the opposite is true. On many tracks there exists a sort of infinite background of voices and patterns that appears to go deeper than what is heard by the casual listener.

I propose that if you're regarding this album as a collection of "songs" from which you can select one or the other to listen to casually, while you may be enjoying yourself, there is a deeper more meaningful level of engagement to be had.

[Najlepsiejszy]

[quote="buddy vector"]Quite the opposite is true. On many tracks there exists a sort of infinite background of voices and patterns that appears to go deeper than what is heard by the casual listener./quote]

TH in comparison to all their previous works is incredibly empty. TH in comparison to most 2013 releases is very empty.

[Aerial Boundaries]

Quite the opposite is true. On many tracks there exists a sort of infinite background of voices and patterns that appears to go deeper than what is heard by the casual listener./quote]

TH in comparison to all their previous works is incredibly empty. TH in comparison to most 2013 releases is very empty.

The way TH is presented makes it feel very empty when you are listening to it, and some might say that it defeats itself in that sense, because it is hard to enjoy such a sparse soundscape.

But if you are talking about the actual content here, how much is really going on at one time in a track, TH is full of counterbalanced rhythms, soft, quiet, swirling melodies and radio-like voices fluttering about. I can only think of some like Sundown which don't have much going on, and for me let the album down slightly because they only seem to be a device linking more important parts of the narrative. But even then maybe I am just missing something, I wouldn't be surprised if I listen to Sundown one day and suddenly everything clicks. Surely you have had moments like this with the rest of their catalog?

I kind of agree with you that it feels empty, and I do find it hard to enjoy for that reason. It has grown on me more since it was released, and I respect how subtle it is, but I do get where you are coming from.

But I mean just look at a track like Sick Times, Trans Ferox, JC or New Seeds and really tell me they are empty. I don't know about you, but being a BOC fan has at least made me think twice and take another deep, attentive listen before saying that a track of theirs has nothing going on. All of their music felt like that to me at some point. When I was first listening to them, back then I only got hooked on a few tracks and every time I tried something else from them I found it underwhelming.

The interesting thing about subtlety is that if you aren't prompted by something, sometimes everything goes over your head, and passes by your ears unnoticed and unappreciated.

[Lens Larque]

Tomorrow's Harvest seems absolutely chock-a-block full of background noise. Gurgling and spritzing.

I take distressed sound to mean "simulated marks of age and wear". Is that what you meant Den?

[Lens Larque]

The interesting thing about subtlety is that if you aren't prompted by something, sometimes everything goes over your head, and passes by your ears unnoticed and unappreciated.

I have also not been paying attention at all, doing a chore to a track I thought I had completely grasped and then something new jumps out.

[Najlepsiejszy]

The way TH is presented makes it feel very empty when you are listening to it, and some might say that it defeats itself in that sense, because it is hard to enjoy such a sparse soundscape.

But if you are talking about the actual content here, how much is really going on at one time in a track, TH is full of counterbalanced rhythms, soft, quiet, swirling melodies and radio-like voices fluttering about. I can only think of some like Sundown which don't have much going on, and for me let the album down slightly because they only seem to be a device linking more important parts of the narrative. But even then maybe I am just missing something, I wouldn't be surprised if I listen to Sundown one day and suddenly everything clicks. Surely you have had moments like this with the rest of their catalog?

I kind of agree with you that it feels empty, and I do find it hard to enjoy for that reason. It has grown on me more since it was released, and I respect how subtle it is, but I do get where you are coming from.

But I mean just look at a track like Sick Times, Trans Ferox, JC or New Seeds and really tell me they are empty. I don't know about you, but being a BOC fan has at least made me think twice and take another deep, attentive listen before saying that a track of theirs has nothing going on. All of their music felt like that to me at some point. When I was first listening to them, back then I only got hooked on a few tracks and every time I tried something else from them I found it underwhelming.

The interesting thing about subtlety is that if you aren't prompted by something, sometimes everything goes over your head, and passes by your ears unnoticed and unappreciated.

You are making it sound like only BoC do songs with lots of sounds in them. 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8eQR5DMous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvDzaQOSZ3E For gosh sake, it's the year EXAI came out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRLb8AYgIc In comparison to just these 4 songs, TH sounds empty and bland. You may or may not like other artists, but their works are just as or maybe even more lush than TH. Judging by TH, BoC are not very unique anymore.

Sick Times is not empty, but it's not a lush song by any means either. New Seeds, Feral Transmissions and JC are empty. Two or three synths and some cracks don't make for a lush song. Nothing Is Real is something else, though. It's the best track from the LP which I really love.

To me, TH is not subtle at all. It tells you right at the start what the message is. All mysteries are just background noise- just like the voices in the songs. They don't matter. They don't define the album or show its meaning.

Also, I've noticed another thing about TH which really bothers me. All the songs are soooo draaaawn ouuuut. All of them could be finished in 1-3 minutes less than the original running time. The sad sounds are very tiring to the ears. It's like: "OK, we get it, you're afraid of the future. Guess what, we all are in a way"

[Lens Larque]

The synth lead on Cold Earth is so strident that on first listening I believed it to be ridiculous.

Comparing Exai to TH is interesting but BoC build ships in bottles while AE are more like action painters. The exactitude of BoC vocal cuts make me laugh because they are evidently not improvised.

[d e n]

Lens, yes, exactly

Nalj, those opinions re the emptiness of the record you've repeated over and over again sound like a broken record to me now. if the measure of success for music is its lushness then you should just listen to music that is lush to you. and compulsively comparing the music will no doubt lead to the same place over and over again.

this may sound a bit harsh, and this isn't directed toward your post, just a feeling...

there is much contrived-fucking-DRAMA-take-me-away-to-euphoria-and-lush-bliss in music these days. I like TH because it feels like a musical statement as well... one of restraint and not needing to please immediately... I wasn't listening to it heavily after the initial release because NONE of the emotion is on the surface despite the music, in my honest opinion, being full of emotion!

phpBB [media]

[Lens Larque]

Trying to define TH by what does not exist on it is bonkers.

There is some kind of lush stuff on there but its also really dry. Hard to explain. Those huge glacial arcs of synth like in Split Your Infinities (something similar on Korona?) and Sick Times are really overwhelming and say a lot to me--with a frown!

Naj you are still pretty young (as you say) and this is a middle age album to be sure. It fits the amount of loss and decay in my life I have experienced since the salad days of Aquarius. But if you just need a particular ebullient electronic sound yeah man its all out there somewhere else. Its all good!

[Mexicola]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people like peanut butter. Others like caviar. I'd sooner lick my own testicles than eat either. Go figure. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this? I digress..

Picking up on various posts in one - I love TH, and adore Sundown. I have a love/hate thing with Cold Earth which I find almost too typically BOC, if that makes any sense? Almost a pastiche of themselves - other times I love it. I will say this, I prefer Cold Earth through headphones - and I thought this pretty much straight away - because there was more going on that I wasn't picking up on first listen, when I found it bland. Acquired tastes?

I do get the empty vibe, and on initial listens it seems there is less going on. As others have said, I think that's intentional. I recall them saying once (recently as I remember it) that everything they release is EXACTLY as they want it to sound. If it feels bleak and empty, I guess that's what they were going for?

It's only on repeated plays that I'm picking out the subtle touches buried (as usual). Doesn't make me a better BOC fan, or have better taste or ears. I mean, I find Aquarius a bit dull. There, I've said it

[Najlepsiejszy]

jcnporter said that TH is full of things going on, and I just disagreed and provided some reasons why. Saying that I don't like the album again and again is pointless, that's true, so I'm trying not to do that. I look at this thread to find out if there's something I'm missing about TH I don't know of

And sorry, but emptiness is just too boring to get used to it. I agree with that guy, but not doing anything is too tiring. However, I did notice that strange trend. Many popular songs now sound "epic" and "incredible". Yes, it is annoying

Trying to define TH by what does not exist on it is bonkers.

I am not trying to define TH, I am trying to just point out something to jcnporter and Aerial Boundaries.




I hate the MHTRTC version of Aquarius, but love the single version of the song. The vinyl cracks and pops really make the song.

And yeah, sure, they were probably going for that

[Lens Larque]

I was agreeing with you. You were being very careful to not admit anything that was not perceived by yourself.

[Mexicola]

You have the 7" single? Nice one!