EP Recommendation: “In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country” EP by Board of Canada (2000)

Like many folks, I considered Boards of Canada’s masterfully dark Tomorrow’s Harvest from the halcyon days of 2013 to be their final statement. With barely a peep in the intervening 16 years, the slow roll of a viral marketing campaign over the last month (with its cryptic VHS mailers and randomly appearing posters) came as a major surprise, so much so that I wasn’t sure it was all real until I actually saw an email arrive from Warp itself proclaiming the imminent release date of LP5 (or six, depending on how your rank Twoism). I’m excited as anyone about new material but even still I’m worried that some BOC fans might have skipped one of their best-ever releases since its buried on streaming platforms under the “Singles & EPs” tag and that’s the stunning little 4 track EP from 2000 called “In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country.” It might actually be the best entry point for a newcomer, even if it’s kind of unfamiliar to long-time listeners. It has a lot of the BOC hallmarks: that woozy production, warped and childlike vocals and an obsession with the underbelly of spirituality. So while you wait for Inferno spend a little bucolic time out in the country…