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Difference between revisions of "Road to Inferno"

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{{Infobox Release|
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[[Inferno]], the fifth studio album by [[Boards of Canada]] was announced on April 22nd 2026 and scheduled for release on May 29th of the same year, following a number of years of seemingly increased public activity from [[Boards of Canada]]. Their fifth album was confirmed to be in production in June 2022 by their online representative, [[MDG]], in a private message to [[Twoism (messageboard)|Twoism]] user babylulu. Subsequent increasing levels of activity leading up to the announcement caused much speculation of the possibility of a new [[Boards of Canada]] album.
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| name=Inferno
 
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| cover=Inferno cover.jpg
 
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| release_date=29 May 2026
 
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| format=Gatefold 2xLP <br> CD <br> Digital
 
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| label=Warp Records
 
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| catno=WARPLP496 (2xLP) <br> WARPCD496 (CD) <br> WARP496 (digital)
 
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| runtime=69:51
 
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}}
 
  
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'''''Inferno''''' is the upcoming fifth studio album by [[Boards of Canada]], scheduled for release on '''29 May 2026''' via [[Warp Records]]. It is the long-anticipated follow-up to their 2013 album ''[[Tomorrow's Harvest]]''&mdash;a gap of nearly thirteen years, the band's longest to date.
 
  
 
<div class="toclimit-4">
 
<div class="toclimit-4">
 
__TOC__
 
__TOC__
 
</div>
 
</div>
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== Confirmation ==
−
== Tracks ==
 
−
 
 
−
# "[[Introit]]" &ndash; 0:36
 
−
# "[[Prophecy At 1420 MHz]]" &ndash; 5:04
 
−
# "[[Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan]]" &ndash; 4:44
 
−
# "[[Age Of Capricorn]]" &ndash; 3:52
 
−
# "[[Father And Son]]" &ndash; 3:24
 
−
# "[[Somewhere Right Now In The Future]]" &ndash; 2:26
 
−
# "[[Naraka]]" &ndash; 5:01
 
−
# "[[Acts Of Magic]]" &ndash; 1:18
 
−
# "[[Memory Death]]" &ndash; 2:37
 
−
# "[[The Word Becomes Flesh]]" &ndash; 5:20
 
−
# "[[Into The Magic Land]]" &ndash; 4:35
 
−
# "[[Blood In The Labyrinth]]" &ndash; 4:55
 
−
# "[[Deep Time]]" &ndash; 3:18
 
−
# "[[All Reason Departs]]" &ndash; 6:14
 
−
# "[[Arena Americanada]]" &ndash; 5:22
 
−
# "[[The Process]]" &ndash; 3:01
 
−
# "[[You Retreat In Time And Space]]" &ndash; 5:25
 
−
# "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" &ndash; 2:39
 
−
 
 
−
Total running time &ndash; '''69:51'''
 
−
 
 
−
== Announcement ==
 
−
 
 
−
The album was officially announced in the lead-up to its '''29 May 2026''' release date, following over a decade of speculation and a substantial uptick in activity on [[Boards of Canada]]'s social media and affiliated web properties through 2025 and into early 2026.
 
−
 
 
−
For the prior period of anticipation and speculation, see the article formerly titled ''[[LP5]]''.
 
  
 
=== Official Statements ===
 
=== Official Statements ===
−
 
+
* [[Marcus Eoin]], June 2013: <blockquote>"It feels like neither of those things from our perspective because we've always been working! We'd be making music anyway even if nobody was listening, and '''we've no intention of stopping''', so this is just a continuation."</blockquote> – in response to the question ''"Is this record a new beginning or maybe the end? How does it feel for you?"'', from the interview [[The Charms of the Sphinx]].
−
* [[Marcus Eoin]], June 2013: "It feels like neither of those things from our perspective because we've always been working! We'd be making music anyway even if nobody was listening, and '''we've no intention of stopping''', so this is just a continuation." &mdash; in response to the question "Is this record a new beginning or maybe the end? How does it feel for you?", from the interview [[The Charms of the Sphinx]].
 
  
 
* [[MDG]], June 2022: "Nothing specific I'm allowed to share yet unfortunately, just that '''a new album is on its way'''."
 
* [[MDG]], June 2022: "Nothing specific I'm allowed to share yet unfortunately, just that '''a new album is on its way'''."
  
−
* [[Bleep.com|Bleep]], April 2023: "we don't know '''when''' the new [[BoC]] album is coming" &mdash; note the use of ''when'' rather than ''if'', implying the album was confirmed to be in progress.<ref>https://bleep.com/newsletters/boards-of-canada--music-has-the-right-to-children-25th-anv-1</ref>
+
[[File:MDG-confirms-LP5.jpeg|center|500px]]
  
−
* [[Boards of Canada|BoC]]'s official [https://www.threads.net/@boardsofcanada Threads], July 2023: "Follow here for '''future news''' & '''announcements''' etc."
+
* [https://www.threads.net/@boardsofcanada BoC's official Threads], July 2023: "Follow here for '''future news''' & '''announcements''' etc."
  
−
== Leadup ==
+
=== Noteworthy Official Activity ===
 +
==== Instagram Likes ====
 +
* [https://www.instagram.com/boardsofcanada/ BoC's official Instagram] - Starting in March 2025, [[BoC]] have liked numerous comments, all of which revolved around '''the topic of new music'''. View all the screenshots on [[:Category:Instagram|one page]] or check the overview in the [[LP5#Table|table]].
  
−
=== Instagram Likes (2025) ===
+
===== Screenshots =====
 +
** 8th March 2025: [[BoC]] likes 14 comments on an 11 week old post of a fan video of "[[Gyroscope]]".<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref>
  
−
''Main article: [[LP5]]''
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
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<DynamicPageList>
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-03-08
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namespace=file
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Starting in March 2025, [[BoC]] liked numerous comments across their official [https://www.instagram.com/boardsofcanada/ Instagram], the vast majority on the topic of new music. See [[:Category:Instagram]] for the full archive and [[LP5#Table|the LP5 table]] for a summary.
+
** 10th March 2025: [[BoC]] likes 1 comment on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post.<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref>
  
−
=== Cosecha Transmisiones ===
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
 +
<DynamicPageList>
 +
category = Instagram boc likes 2025-03-10
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namespace=file
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ordermethod = created
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imagewidth=104
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galleryshowfilesize=no
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imagesperrow=6
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mode=gallery
 +
</DynamicPageList>
 +
</div>
  
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''Main article: [[Cosecha-transmisiones.com]]''
+
** 13th March 2025: [[BoC]] likes 1 comment on the "[[Dayvan Cowboy]]" post.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/C8hTJcYsXRf/</ref>
  
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On '''1 May 2025''', users on [[Twoism (messageboard)|Twoism]] and [https://www.reddit.com/r/boardsofcanada r/boardsofcanada] noticed that the website [[Cosecha-transmisiones.com|cosecha-transmisiones.com]]&mdash;originally used in the promotion of ''[[Tomorrow's Harvest]]''&mdash;had been updated to read:
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<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
 +
<DynamicPageList>
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-03-13
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namespace=file
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ordermethod = created
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imagewidth=104
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galleryshowfilesize=no
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galleryshowfilename=no
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</DynamicPageList>
 +
</div>
  
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<code>nobody home... /// -. --- -... --- -.. -.-- / .... --- -- . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-</code>
+
** 28th March 2025: [[BoC]] likes 5 comments on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post.<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref>
  
−
Over the following months the site displayed a rotating sequence of error messages and cryptic fragments before being redirected to the original [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2lyYEUPat8 ''Tomorrow's Harvest'' Transmission] video on 29 August 2025. With the announcement of ''Inferno'', the relationship between the 2025 reactivation of the site and the eventual album release is an open question for fans.
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
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<DynamicPageList>
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-03-28
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namespace=file
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ordermethod = created
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imagewidth=104
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galleryshowfilesize=no
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galleryshowfilename=no
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imagesperrow=6
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mode=gallery
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</DynamicPageList>
 +
</div>
  
−
=== New Merchandise ===
+
** 31st March 2025: [[BoC]] likes 3 comments on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post,<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref> and 1 comment on the "[[Dayvan Cowboy]]" post.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/C8hTJcYsXRf/</ref>
  
−
On '''6 June 2025''', new [[Boards of Canada]] merchandise was announced and exclusively available at [[Bleep.com|Bleep]], produced on unisex Stanley and Stella blanks with a [[Boards of Canada]] neck label.<ref>https://bleep.com/boards-of-canada-2025-merchandise</ref><ref>https://warp.net/artists/boards-of-canada</ref><ref>https://bsky.app/profile/bleep.com/post/3lqxaqw2mj22s</ref><ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/DKkNBcdIEfz/?img_index=1</ref> Shipping from Bleep's UK and USA warehouses began on 11 June. The release was widely read as a prelude to an album announcement.
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
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<DynamicPageList>
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-03-31
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namespace=file
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ordermethod = created
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imagewidth=104
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galleryshowfilesize=no
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galleryshowfilename=no
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imagesperrow=6
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mode=gallery
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</DynamicPageList>
 +
</div>
  
−
=== Twoism 30 ===
+
** 9th April 2025: [[BoC]] likes 9 comments on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post.<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref>
  
−
On '''15 August 2025''', [[Boards of Canada]] uploaded a ''[[Twoism (release)|Twoism]]'' 30th-anniversary celebration video to their social media accounts.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYMbzWMJIZ/</ref><ref>https://www.threads.com/@boardsofcanada/post/DNYN0UYMSVj</ref><ref>https://bsky.app/profile/boardsofcanada.bsky.social/post/3lwhdn4y3vk2d</ref><ref>https://x.com/boardsofcanada/status/1956358894902550775</ref><ref>https://www.facebook.com/boardsofcanada/videos/1494936234977208</ref> The band's first publicly-available vinyl mini album ''[[Twoism (release)|Twoism]]''&mdash;originally limited to 100 copies in 1995&mdash;was made available through [[Bleep.com]].
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
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<DynamicPageList>
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-04-09
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namespace=file
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ordermethod = created
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imagewidth=104
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galleryshowfilesize=no
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galleryshowfilename=no
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imagesperrow=6
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mode=gallery
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</DynamicPageList>
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</div>
  
−
On the same post, [[Boards of Canada]] liked a large batch of comments speculating about a forthcoming album.
+
** 20th April 2025: [[BoC]] likes 2 comments on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post.<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref>
  
−
== Title and Themes ==
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category = Instagram boc likes 2025-04-20
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</div>
  
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The title ''Inferno'' is '''Dante Alighieri''''s first canticle of the ''Divine Comedy'' (c. 1308&ndash;1320), the descent through the nine circles of hell. The album's 18 tracks thus naturally read as 9 + 9 &mdash; descent and ascent, ''Inferno'' and ''Purgatorio'' &mdash; with the closing "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" supplying the ''Paradiso'''s beatific vision. Taken title by title, ''Inferno'' is the most '''explicitly religious and mystical record''' in the [[Boards of Canada]] catalogue &mdash; a far more concentrated pursuit of the cult-and-scripture thread that ran through ''[[In a Beautiful Place out in the Country (release)|In a Beautiful Place out in the Country]]'' and ''[[Geogaddi]]''.
+
** 17th May 2025: [[BoC]] likes 2 comments on the "[[Gyroscope]]" post.<ref name="boc gyroscope post">https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/boardsofcanada/comments/1kos9lh/they_like_one_of_my_comments/</ref>
  
−
=== Christian Liturgy ===
+
<div class="mw-collapsed mw-collapsible" style="width:100%; overflow:auto;">
−
* "[[Introit]]" &mdash; the processional opening of a Catholic Mass.
+
<DynamicPageList>
−
* "[[Father And Son]]" &mdash; the first two persons of the Holy Trinity.
+
category = Instagram boc likes 2025-05-17
−
* "[[The Word Becomes Flesh]]" &mdash; direct citation of the Gospel of John 1:14 (the Incarnation).
+
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</DynamicPageList>
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</div>
  
−
=== Eastern Religions ===
+
===== Table =====
−
* "[[Naraka]]" &mdash; the hell realms of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh cosmology.
+
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed sortable wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
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* "[[Memory Death]]" &mdash; dissolution of memory in the Tibetan bardo (''Bardo Thödol'').
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! style="width: 100px;  text-align: center;"  | liked
 +
! style="text-align: center;" | commenter
 +
! style="text-align: center;"  | comment
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || hektagon || You guys don't fully know how much you are changing people's lives with your music.... You are an inspiration and we are truly honoured for having heard your beautiful music... thank you
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || anthonybagala || What! A post from BOC! A new album omen perhaps ?
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || mr.shutter__ || Need new music
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || verlindendavid6 || Glad you're still there...WE ARE patiently waiting for a New album...but i think you already Know it
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || axelbaccari || Good things come to those who wait?
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || landscape.fm || "the long silence between boc albums are just very quiet time stretched albums" -mark twain
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || ivanprofeno || come back please 😭
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || jlhaise_ || plz come back
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || jslydemusic || NEW ALBUM BUTTON - >
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || pabloburial98 || Please, Marcus and Michael, drop a new album 🥺
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || harocr || I LOVE YOU
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || gaijinguru || Please... please drop a new album. It's been 11 years
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || joet1138 || New Album please guys.
 +
|-
 +
| Sat Mar 08 || 280z.phenix || BOC album sooon? 🙏
 +
|-
 +
| Mon Mar 10 || like_the_void || New album would be the best news imaginable.
 +
|-
 +
| Thu Mar 13 || liladhar_das || It's hard to express gratitude. Because true connection and love is expressed indirectly. I don't need your new album because what you've done is enough, but if it comes out I'll be first in line to listen to it.
 +
|-
 +
| Fri Mar 28 || torus.1.2 || You guys have given me a lot of fresh perspective from your art. And I'd be all the more grateful if I was alive to see another great album production from you. Regardless, I want to reiterate my thanks for your contributions to culture.
 +
|-
 +
| Fri Mar 28 || nza.trestrestres || please drop something new. 🥺
 +
|-
 +
| Fri Mar 28 || verlindendavid6 || The end of the waiting has never been so near
 +
|-
 +
| Fri Mar 28 || _ow_______w || Hello, please can you release a new album or something new 🙏 ❤️
 +
|-
 +
| Fri Mar 28 || nicky.i3 || I will finally experience the true meaning of happiness if I were to experience a new album from them ..one day.. ❤️
 +
|-
 +
| Mon Mar 31 || geatgizmo74 || Please BoC we need new music! 🙏
 +
|-
 +
| Mon Mar 31 || ahkilltree / synthesizergirlfriend || Your music and the commentary you make with it are deeply forward thinking. My generation is Tomorrow's Harvest. We are the crop of tyrants, but want to offer those born after us a truly better life. We have no choice but to be better. It'd be nice to hear what you're thinking again. There are lots of younger fans who will take solace in whatever material you put out. We are ready!
 +
|-
 +
| Mon Mar 31 || si_ni_sa || I really really would love to see the day of new album release but if you never release anything again, I will be content with all the things that you release so far. Thank you for that.
 +
|-
 +
| Mon Mar 31 || dazed_rick || Forever love your guys music! If a new album is coming im sure it will be as wonderful as we all imagine, keep up the amazing work guys! Orange! 🧡 🍊
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || stavorius || Someday something new will come, I can feel it.
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || kyototrain || The children yearn for a new album
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || hexagonsundown || You'll always be my most important and life intertwined artists of any sort, your music has been a major part of my life most of my adult life
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || verlindendavid6 || Come on guys....you know we are ready for New stuff...
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || _boards_of_canada_ || Hope it's true; that there's new music coming. Can't wait for it, been listening since 2017; It's inspired me to persue many goals in life and helped me in rough times. Much love.
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || yulin_liminal_research_unit || I've heard that things are brewing regarding a new album? I hope the answer is "Yeeaaahh that's right"
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || g.cobas || Thank you for everything, your music change the perspective of the world, I hope that something new it's coming
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || bizcastl || Forever keeping my hopes up of seeing new material. Your music is always deeply meaningful and inspiring, and it might be time for a new outlook after your last became all too true...
 +
|-
 +
| Wed Apr 09 || marcussimms05 || Been fan since 2018 (when I was 13). Very excited to hear whatever new music you've got in store!
 +
|-
 +
| Sun Apr 20 || pn_g74 || Can we all finally stop dreaming about a new album, and that it's going to finally be a reality 🙌
 +
|-
 +
| Sun Apr 20 || nico.figari || As @lowtheband once said, I could live in hope
 +
|-
 +
| Sat May 17 || hamza_sdn_ || We need some news or new stuff Boards 🙏
 +
|-
 +
| Sat May 17 || colin_constance_photography || Patiently waiting
 +
|}
  
−
=== Occult, Magick, and New Religious Movements ===
+
==== Cosecha Transmisiones ====
−
* "[[Acts Of Magic]]" &mdash; Crowleyan '''Magick''' as the art of change conforming to will.
+
''Main article: [[Cosecha-transmisiones.com]]''
−
* "[[The Process]]" &mdash; '''The Process Church of the Final Judgment''', 1960s &ndash; 70s new-religious / cult movement (Robert de Grimston, ex-Scientology), syncretising Christ / Satan / Jehovah / Lucifer.
 
−
* "[[Into The Magic Land]]" &mdash; the mystical Otherworld / Faerie / land of the dead.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Prophecy, Cosmos, Creation ===
 
−
* "[[Prophecy At 1420 MHz]]" &mdash; the '''hydrogen line''', the SETI frequency, framed prophetically.
 
−
* "[[Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan]]" &mdash; Big Bang nucleosynthesis + the biblical sea-monster of Job 41 / Psalm 74 / Isaiah 27:1.
 
−
* "[[Age Of Capricorn]]" &mdash; astrological / precessional age (Capricorn = the ''sea-goat'').
 
−
* "[[Deep Time]]" &mdash; geological time as the Hindu/Buddhist ''kalpa'', as eternity.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Sacrifice and Martyrdom ===
 
−
* "[[Blood In The Labyrinth]]" &mdash; the Cretan Minotaur myth, the ritual sacrifice of Athenian youths, and the Chartres labyrinth as medieval pilgrimage substitute.
 
−
* "[[Arena Americanada]]" &mdash; the '''Roman arena''' as the space of martyrdom / gladiatorial spectacle, portmanteau'd through '''America''' / '''Canada''' / '''''Americana'''''.
 
  
−
=== Contemplation, Time Transcendence, Vision ===
+
On '''May 1st 2025''', users on [[Twoism (messageboard)|Twoism]] and [https://www.reddit.com/r/boardsofcanada/| r/boardsofcanada] noticed that the website [[Cosecha-transmisiones.com|cosecha-transmisiones.com]], originally used in the promotion of [[Tomorrow's Harvest]], had been updated to simply read:
−
* "[[Somewhere Right Now In The Future]]" &mdash; the theological ''nunc stans'', divine timelessness.
 
−
* "[[You Retreat In Time And Space]]" &mdash; the monastic / Buddhist '''retreat'''.
 
−
* "[[All Reason Departs]]" &mdash; Goya's "sleep of reason breeds monsters" paired with the mystical ''via negativa'' / apophatic tradition (Pseudo-Dionysius, Eckhart, ''The Cloud of Unknowing'').
 
−
* "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" &mdash; physicist '''Julian Barbour''''s timeless configuration-space of the universe, read through '''Plato''''s ladder of ascent and the Neoplatonic / Christian-mystical tradition of "seeing through" appearance to the One. The album's closing '''beatific vision'''.
 
  
−
=== Structural Note ===
+
<code>nobody home... /// -. --- -... --- -.. -.-- / .... --- -- . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-</code> 
−
At '''18 tracks''' the album naturally divides 9 + 9, mirroring Dante's '''9 circles of hell''' (doubled for descent-and-ascent, or Inferno-and-Purgatorio). The shape moves: '''liturgical entry''' ("[[Introit]]") &rarr; '''prophetic cosmos''' &rarr; '''Trinity''' &rarr; '''eschatology''' &rarr; '''Eastern hell''' &rarr; '''occult practice''' &rarr; '''Buddhist memory-death''' &rarr; '''Incarnation''' &rarr; '''mystical pilgrimage''' &rarr; '''sacrificial myth''' &rarr; '''deep time''' &rarr; '''ecstatic unreason''' &rarr; '''arena / martyrdom''' &rarr; '''cult''' &rarr; '''retreat''' &rarr; '''beatific vision'''.
 
  
 +
Over the next few months various changes were made to the site, with it displaying a variety of error messages at different times amongst other things, before it was simply redirected to the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2lyYEUPat8 Tomorrow's Harvest Transmission] video on August 29th 2025. The reason for or significance of the activity remains unclear, although it appears not to be directly related to a new [[Boards of Canada]] release.
  
−
== Trivia ==
 
  
−
=== Catalogue number 496 ===
+
==== New Merchandise ====
 +
On June 6th 2025, new [[Boards of Canada]] merchandise is announced and exclusively available at [[Bleep.com|Bleep]]. Produced on unisex Stanley and Stella blanks, with a [[Boards of Canada]] neck label. Shipping from Bleep's UK and USA warehouses began on June 11th.<ref>https://bleep.com/boards-of-canada-2025-merchandise</ref><ref>https://warp.net/artists/boards-of-canada</ref><ref>https://bsky.app/profile/bleep.com/post/3lqxaqw2mj22s</ref><ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/DKkNBcdIEfz/?img_index=1</ref>
  
−
The ''Inferno'' vinyl, CD and digital editions carry the catalogue numbers '''WARPLP496''', '''WARPCD496''' and '''WARP496''' respectively. 496 appears to be a deliberate choice rather than the next number in Warp's sequence:
+
It has been widely speculated that this release of new merchandise may be a prelude to an announcement of a new album.
  
−
* The immediately preceding Warp albums carry much lower catalogue numbers — Nala Sinephro's ''Endlessness'' is [https://yoyaku.io/release/nala-sinephro-endlessness-lp-warplp358/ WARPLP358] (Sept 2024), [[wikipedia:Kwes|kwes]]'s ''Kinds'' is WARPLP400 (27 Feb 2026), and [[wikipedia:Squarepusher|Squarepusher]]'s April 2026 release is WARPLP417. Seven weeks after Squarepusher at 417, the catalogue jumps 79 numbers straight to 496 for ''Inferno''.
 
−
* Warp's digital (WARPDA) sequence shows the same jump: recent numbers include WARPDA408, 411, 414, 415, 417, then skip to WARPDA496 as the digital SKU for ''Inferno''.<ref>https://warp.net/discography</ref>
 
  
−
'''496 is mathematically and physically significant in several ways:'''
+
==== Twoism 30 ====
 +
On August 15th 2025, [[Boards of Canada]] uploaded a ''[[Twoism (release)|Twoism]]'' celebration video to their social media accounts.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYMbzWMJIZ/</ref><ref>https://www.threads.com/@boardsofcanada/post/DNYN0UYMSVj</ref><ref>https://bsky.app/profile/boardsofcanada.bsky.social/post/3lwhdn4y3vk2d</ref><ref>https://x.com/boardsofcanada/status/1956358894902550775</ref><ref>https://www.facebook.com/boardsofcanada/videos/1494936234977208</ref> Their first publicly-available vinyl mini album ''[[Twoism (release)|Twoism]]'', originally a limited run of only 100 vinyl copies, is available today at [[Bleep.com]].
  
−
* It is the '''third perfect number''' — a positive integer equal to the sum of its proper divisors: 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 31 + 62 + 124 + 248 = 496. The first two perfect numbers are 6 and 28. 496 = 2<sup>4</sup>·(2<sup>5</sup> − 1), where 31 is a [[wikipedia:Mersenne prime|Mersenne prime]].
+
[[Boards of Canada]] took the opportunity to like a lot of [https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYMbzWMJIZ/ comments on their Instagram post] revolving around the topic of new music. Despite speculation, no release or announcement formalized on this day.
−
* It is the '''31st [[wikipedia:Triangular number|triangular number]]''' — the sum of all integers from 1 to 31.
 
−
* In theoretical physics, '''496 is the dimension of the gauge groups E<sub>8</sub>×E<sub>8</sub> and SO(32)''' — the two groups that allow [[wikipedia:Heterotic string|heterotic string theory]] to be anomaly-free under the [[wikipedia:Green–Schwarz mechanism|Green–Schwarz mechanism]] (1984). It is one of the most recognisable numbers in 20th-century mathematical physics.
 
  
−
The choice is consistent with [[Boards of Canada]]'s history of numerical encoding (e.g. ''[[Geogaddi]]'' contains 23 tracks tied to the "23 Enigma" / Discordianism, a 66:06 running time read as 666, and a Japanese release date of 13 February 2002 keyed to Revelation 13:18) and with the album's pervasive physics and cosmology references — see "[[Prophecy At 1420 MHz]]", "[[Hydrogen Helium Lithium Leviathan]]", "[[Deep Time]]" and "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]".
+
=== Other Noteworthy Statements & Activity ===
 +
* [[Bleep.com|Bleep]], April 2023: "we don't know when the new [[BoC]] album is coming"<ref>https://bleep.com/newsletters/boards-of-canada--music-has-the-right-to-children-25th-anv-1</ref>. Note the use of ''''when'''' rather than ''''if'''' implying that the album is confirmed to be in progress.
  
−
== Release Notes ==
+
==== Warp Selections: Vernal Equinox ====
 +
[[File:Warp-Selections-Vernal-Equinox.jpg|200px|thumb|right]]
 +
On March 20, 2026, [[Warp Records]] released an edition of their Warp Selections playlist series to coincide with the [[Wikipedia:March_equinox|vernal equinox]], the date on which astronomical spring begins in the northern hemisphere. Notably, it includes 3 songs by [[Boards of Canada]]: "[[Sunshine Recorder]]", "[[Smokes Quantity]] / [[1986 Summer Fire]]" and "[[Sundown]]". The cover of the playlist is a photo of the Sun, seemingly taken from a VHS recording due to the distortion. This became notable after the same photo appeared in a different, more distorted form in the [[2026_Promo_Campaign#VHS_Tape_Mailings|unmarked VHS tapes]] that were mailed to various people two weeks later.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txOkz6chDTE, 1:02</ref> The playlist cover later reappeared in its original form in [[Tape 05]] on April 16.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bghDcbzfEU, 0:40</ref> This has lead to theories that the playlist was curated by the duo themselves, though this is unconfirmed.
  
−
''(To be populated from Warp's promotional copy once released.)''
+
== Promotional Campaign ==
 +
''Main article: [[2026 Promo Campaign]]''
  
−
== Quotes ==
+
This period of silence was broken in April 2026, when multiple fans received mysterious unmarked VHS tapes in the mail, only marked by a set of seven hexagons. What followed after was the formal return of the duo and the announcement of their fifth studio album, ''[[Inferno]]''. For more details, see the article [[2026 Promo Campaign]].
−
 
 
−
''(To be populated as interviews appear around the release.)''
 
  
 
== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==
−
 
−
* [[LP5]] &ndash; archived speculation/leadup page
 
−
* [[2026 Promo Campaign]]
 
−
* [[Tomorrow's Harvest]] &ndash; previous studio album (2013)
 
−
* [[Discography]]
 
 
* [[Timeline]]
 
* [[Timeline]]
 
* [[Statements from Hexagon Sun]]
 
* [[Statements from Hexagon Sun]]
 +
* [[MDG]]
 +
* [[Discography]]
  
 
== External Links ==
 
== External Links ==
 +
* [https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15631| General New Release Speculation Topic Part II thread on Twoism]
 +
* [https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14811| News & Findings thread on Twoism]
 +
* [https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7374| General New Release Speculation Topic thread on Twoism] (locked Dec 30th 2024)
 +
* [https://www.instagram.com/p/DHY3RUfokrZ/?img_index=1 LP5 post on bocpages' Instagram]
  
−
* [https://warp.net/artists/boards-of-canada Boards of Canada on Warp Records]
+
== References==
−
* [https://bleep.com/boards-of-canada Boards of Canada on Bleep]
 
−
* [https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15631 Twoism discussion: General New Release Speculation Topic Part II]
 
−
 
 
−
== References ==
 
 
<references />
 
<references />
  
 
{{Nav-Releases}}
 
{{Nav-Releases}}
  
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[[Category: Releases]]
+
[[Category: Instagram]]
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[[Category: Releases by Boards of Canada]]
 
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[[Category: Albums]]
 
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[[Category: Boards of Canada Era]]
 
−
[[Category: 2026]]
 

Latest revision as of 17:20, 7 May 2026

Inferno, the fifth studio album by Boards of Canada was announced on April 22nd 2026 and scheduled for release on May 29th of the same year, following a number of years of seemingly increased public activity from Boards of Canada. Their fifth album was confirmed to be in production in June 2022 by their online representative, MDG, in a private message to Twoism user babylulu. Subsequent increasing levels of activity leading up to the announcement caused much speculation of the possibility of a new Boards of Canada album.


Confirmation

Official Statements

  • Marcus Eoin, June 2013:
    "It feels like neither of those things from our perspective because we've always been working! We'd be making music anyway even if nobody was listening, and we've no intention of stopping, so this is just a continuation."
    – in response to the question "Is this record a new beginning or maybe the end? How does it feel for you?", from the interview The Charms of the Sphinx.
  • MDG, June 2022: "Nothing specific I'm allowed to share yet unfortunately, just that a new album is on its way."
MDG-confirms-LP5.jpeg

Noteworthy Official Activity

Instagram Likes

  • BoC's official Instagram - Starting in March 2025, BoC have liked numerous comments, all of which revolved around the topic of new music. View all the screenshots on one page or check the overview in the table.
Screenshots
    • 8th March 2025: BoC likes 14 comments on an 11 week old post of a fan video of "Gyroscope".[1]
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-15.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-14.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-13.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-12.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-10.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-9.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-8.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-7.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-6.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-5.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-4.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-3.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-03-08-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-03-10-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-03-13-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-03-28-boc-likes-5.jpeg
  • 2025-03-28-boc-likes-4.jpeg
  • 2025-03-28-boc-likes-3.jpeg
  • 2025-03-28-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-03-28-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-03-31-boc-likes-4.jpeg
  • 2025-03-31-boc-likes-3.jpeg
  • 2025-03-31-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-03-31-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-9.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-8.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-7.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-6.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-5.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-4.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-3.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-04-09-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-04-20-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-04-20-boc-likes-1.jpeg
  • 2025-05-17-boc-likes-2.jpeg
  • 2025-05-17-boc-likes-1.jpeg
Table
liked commenter comment
Sat Mar 08 hektagon You guys don't fully know how much you are changing people's lives with your music.... You are an inspiration and we are truly honoured for having heard your beautiful music... thank you
Sat Mar 08 anthonybagala What! A post from BOC! A new album omen perhaps ?
Sat Mar 08 mr.shutter__ Need new music
Sat Mar 08 verlindendavid6 Glad you're still there...WE ARE patiently waiting for a New album...but i think you already Know it
Sat Mar 08 axelbaccari Good things come to those who wait?
Sat Mar 08 landscape.fm "the long silence between boc albums are just very quiet time stretched albums" -mark twain
Sat Mar 08 ivanprofeno come back please 😭
Sat Mar 08 jlhaise_ plz come back
Sat Mar 08 jslydemusic NEW ALBUM BUTTON - >
Sat Mar 08 pabloburial98 Please, Marcus and Michael, drop a new album 🥺
Sat Mar 08 harocr I LOVE YOU
Sat Mar 08 gaijinguru Please... please drop a new album. It's been 11 years
Sat Mar 08 joet1138 New Album please guys.
Sat Mar 08 280z.phenix BOC album sooon? 🙏
Mon Mar 10 like_the_void New album would be the best news imaginable.
Thu Mar 13 liladhar_das It's hard to express gratitude. Because true connection and love is expressed indirectly. I don't need your new album because what you've done is enough, but if it comes out I'll be first in line to listen to it.
Fri Mar 28 torus.1.2 You guys have given me a lot of fresh perspective from your art. And I'd be all the more grateful if I was alive to see another great album production from you. Regardless, I want to reiterate my thanks for your contributions to culture.
Fri Mar 28 nza.trestrestres please drop something new. 🥺
Fri Mar 28 verlindendavid6 The end of the waiting has never been so near
Fri Mar 28 _ow_______w Hello, please can you release a new album or something new 🙏 ❤️
Fri Mar 28 nicky.i3 I will finally experience the true meaning of happiness if I were to experience a new album from them ..one day.. ❤️
Mon Mar 31 geatgizmo74 Please BoC we need new music! 🙏
Mon Mar 31 ahkilltree / synthesizergirlfriend Your music and the commentary you make with it are deeply forward thinking. My generation is Tomorrow's Harvest. We are the crop of tyrants, but want to offer those born after us a truly better life. We have no choice but to be better. It'd be nice to hear what you're thinking again. There are lots of younger fans who will take solace in whatever material you put out. We are ready!
Mon Mar 31 si_ni_sa I really really would love to see the day of new album release but if you never release anything again, I will be content with all the things that you release so far. Thank you for that.
Mon Mar 31 dazed_rick Forever love your guys music! If a new album is coming im sure it will be as wonderful as we all imagine, keep up the amazing work guys! Orange! 🧡 🍊
Wed Apr 09 stavorius Someday something new will come, I can feel it.
Wed Apr 09 kyototrain The children yearn for a new album
Wed Apr 09 hexagonsundown You'll always be my most important and life intertwined artists of any sort, your music has been a major part of my life most of my adult life
Wed Apr 09 verlindendavid6 Come on guys....you know we are ready for New stuff...
Wed Apr 09 _boards_of_canada_ Hope it's true; that there's new music coming. Can't wait for it, been listening since 2017; It's inspired me to persue many goals in life and helped me in rough times. Much love.
Wed Apr 09 yulin_liminal_research_unit I've heard that things are brewing regarding a new album? I hope the answer is "Yeeaaahh that's right"
Wed Apr 09 g.cobas Thank you for everything, your music change the perspective of the world, I hope that something new it's coming
Wed Apr 09 bizcastl Forever keeping my hopes up of seeing new material. Your music is always deeply meaningful and inspiring, and it might be time for a new outlook after your last became all too true...
Wed Apr 09 marcussimms05 Been fan since 2018 (when I was 13). Very excited to hear whatever new music you've got in store!
Sun Apr 20 pn_g74 Can we all finally stop dreaming about a new album, and that it's going to finally be a reality 🙌
Sun Apr 20 nico.figari As @lowtheband once said, I could live in hope
Sat May 17 hamza_sdn_ We need some news or new stuff Boards 🙏
Sat May 17 colin_constance_photography Patiently waiting

Cosecha Transmisiones

Main article: Cosecha-transmisiones.com

On May 1st 2025, users on Twoism and r/boardsofcanada noticed that the website cosecha-transmisiones.com, originally used in the promotion of Tomorrow's Harvest, had been updated to simply read:

nobody home... /// -. --- -... --- -.. -.-- / .... --- -- . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-

Over the next few months various changes were made to the site, with it displaying a variety of error messages at different times amongst other things, before it was simply redirected to the Tomorrow's Harvest Transmission video on August 29th 2025. The reason for or significance of the activity remains unclear, although it appears not to be directly related to a new Boards of Canada release.


New Merchandise

On June 6th 2025, new Boards of Canada merchandise is announced and exclusively available at Bleep. Produced on unisex Stanley and Stella blanks, with a Boards of Canada neck label. Shipping from Bleep's UK and USA warehouses began on June 11th.[5][6][7][8]

It has been widely speculated that this release of new merchandise may be a prelude to an announcement of a new album.


Twoism 30

On August 15th 2025, Boards of Canada uploaded a Twoism celebration video to their social media accounts.[9][10][11][12][13] Their first publicly-available vinyl mini album Twoism, originally a limited run of only 100 vinyl copies, is available today at Bleep.com.

Boards of Canada took the opportunity to like a lot of comments on their Instagram post revolving around the topic of new music. Despite speculation, no release or announcement formalized on this day.

Other Noteworthy Statements & Activity

  • Bleep, April 2023: "we don't know when the new BoC album is coming"[14]. Note the use of 'when' rather than 'if' implying that the album is confirmed to be in progress.

Warp Selections: Vernal Equinox

Warp-Selections-Vernal-Equinox.jpg

On March 20, 2026, Warp Records released an edition of their Warp Selections playlist series to coincide with the vernal equinox, the date on which astronomical spring begins in the northern hemisphere. Notably, it includes 3 songs by Boards of Canada: "Sunshine Recorder", "Smokes Quantity / 1986 Summer Fire" and "Sundown". The cover of the playlist is a photo of the Sun, seemingly taken from a VHS recording due to the distortion. This became notable after the same photo appeared in a different, more distorted form in the unmarked VHS tapes that were mailed to various people two weeks later.[15] The playlist cover later reappeared in its original form in Tape 05 on April 16.[16] This has lead to theories that the playlist was curated by the duo themselves, though this is unconfirmed.

Promotional Campaign

Main article: 2026 Promo Campaign

This period of silence was broken in April 2026, when multiple fans received mysterious unmarked VHS tapes in the mail, only marked by a set of seven hexagons. What followed after was the formal return of the duo and the announcement of their fifth studio album, Inferno. For more details, see the article 2026 Promo Campaign.

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 https://www.instagram.com/p/DDrvdn7Mfez/
  2. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/C8hTJcYsXRf/
  3. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/C8hTJcYsXRf/
  4. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/boardsofcanada/comments/1kos9lh/they_like_one_of_my_comments/
  5. ↑ https://bleep.com/boards-of-canada-2025-merchandise
  6. ↑ https://warp.net/artists/boards-of-canada
  7. ↑ https://bsky.app/profile/bleep.com/post/3lqxaqw2mj22s
  8. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DKkNBcdIEfz/?img_index=1
  9. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DNYMbzWMJIZ/
  10. ↑ https://www.threads.com/@boardsofcanada/post/DNYN0UYMSVj
  11. ↑ https://bsky.app/profile/boardsofcanada.bsky.social/post/3lwhdn4y3vk2d
  12. ↑ https://x.com/boardsofcanada/status/1956358894902550775
  13. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/boardsofcanada/videos/1494936234977208
  14. ↑ https://bleep.com/newsletters/boards-of-canada--music-has-the-right-to-children-25th-anv-1
  15. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txOkz6chDTE, 1:02
  16. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bghDcbzfEU, 0:40
Discography Overview | view ⬢ edit
Albums Music Has the Right to Children ⬢ Geogaddi ⬢ The Campfire Headphase ⬢ Tomorrow's Harvest ⬢ Inferno
EPs Twoism ⬢ Hi Scores ⬢ Aquarius ⬢ Peel Session ⬢ In a Beautiful Place out in the Country ⬢ Trans Canada Highway
Singles Reach For The Dead ⬢ Introit / Prophecy At 1420 MHz
Rare / Early Releases Catalog 3 ⬢ Acid Memories ⬢ Closes Vol. 1 ⬢ Play by Numbers ⬢ Hooper Bay ⬢ Boc Maxima ⬢ Old Tunes Vol. 1 ⬢ Old Tunes Vol. 2 ⬢ Random 35 Tracks Tape ⬢ Boc Remii Vol. 1
Mixtapes Marcus Eoin's Campfire Mixtape ⬢ Societas x Tape
Live Sets Live @ Warp10 ⬢ Live @ Lighthouse ⬢ Live @ ATP ⬢ All Gigs
Promotional Releases Telephasic Workshop ⬢ MHTRTC (promo cassette) ⬢ Orange Romeda ⬢ Geogaddi (promo lp) ⬢ Geogaddi (test pressing) ⬢ Geogaddi (promo cassette) ⬢ ------ / ------ / ------ / XXXXXX / ------ / ------ ⬢ Reach For The Dead (promo cd) ⬢ Come To Dust (promo cd)
Compilation Exclusives Korona ⬢ Orange Romeda ⬢ Seven Forty Seven
Produced by BoC for Others Here Come The Rubber Cops ⬢ Orangutang
Bootleg Releases Unreleased Tracks
Other Kaleidoscope ⬢ Promotional Events ⬢ Promotional Items ⬢ Merchandise ⬢ Web media
Lead-up RSD 2013 ARG ⬢ Road to Inferno ⬢ 2026 Promo Campaign
To Be Determined BoCset
Retrieved from "https://bocpages.org/w/index.php?title=Road_to_Inferno&oldid=20845"