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Difference between revisions of "I Saw Through Platonia"

(Expand Comments: religious/mystical reading of "I Saw Through Platonia" as part of the Inferno religious-mysticism programme)
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| name=I Saw Through Platonia
 
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| runtime=2:39
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| appearson=[[Inferno]] (2026)
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| next=[[Vol.4 - P. Primers - 177 Giraud's Mirror]] <small>(Red vinyl edition only)</small>
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| prev=[[You Retreat In Time And Space]]}}
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"[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" is the eighteenth and final track on [[Boards of Canada]]'s fifth studio album, ''[[Inferno]]''.
  
 
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__TOC__
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== Comments ==
 
== Comments ==
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* '''Platonia''' is physicist '''Julian Barbour''''s name (from ''The End of Time'', 1999) for the '''configuration space''' of all possible instantaneous arrangements of the universe &mdash; his proposed timeless substrate for a radically Machian physics in which time itself is an illusion. The title's '''"I saw through"''' is the visionary-mystical register: to "see through" Platonia is to apprehend the eternal One behind the procession of appearances.
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* The title "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" most likely refers to the concept by British physicist [[wikipedia:Julian_Barbour|Julian Barbour]] called the realm of Platonia, an infinite timeless landscape which contains every possible arrangement and configuration of the universe.<ref>https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4760621</ref>
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* The word '''Platonia''' also knits Barbour's physics to '''Plato''''s cave, ladder and ''Forms'' &mdash; and so to the whole Neoplatonic and Christian-mystical tradition (Plotinus, Pseudo-Dionysius, Eriugena, Eckhart) in which the soul ascends through layers of appearance to the Good / the One / God.
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** Itself influenced by [[wikipedia:Plato|Plato]]'s concept of the world of forms (called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperuranion "Hyperuranion"] in the original Greek).
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* As the album's '''closing track''' ('''2:39'''), "[[I Saw Through Platonia]]" functions as the '''beatific vision''' &mdash; the ''Paradiso'' glimpsed at the end of ''[[Inferno]]''. The album began with "[[Introit]]" (entering the Mass); it ends by seeing through.
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* The melody in this track shares a slight resemblance to the melody in "[[R35TT B01]]".
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* Throughout the track, a beat resembling a heartbeat can be heard, up until the track abruptly ends.
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* There is 9 seconds of silence at the end of the track, presumably a callback to "[[Magic Window]]".
  
 
== Samples / Lyrics ==
 
== Samples / Lyrics ==
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* The sound at the end of the track seems to be a carrier wave signal; a carrier wave is a steady high-frequency electromagnetic waveform which serves as a base to "carry" lower-frequency information from a transmitter to a receiver.
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* The auditory phenomenology common associated with the [[wikipedia:DMT|DMT]] experience, which shares commonalities with near-death experiences, is often described as "the carrier signal."
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* As of June 3rd, 2026, it has not been established whether the carrier wave signal at the end of this track contains information, or if so, what.
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* 40 seconds into the track, what seems to be a slowed down recording of the ringing of a railroad crossing bell can be heard. This sound turns out to be in a palindromic structure, as it sounds nearly identical when the track is played in reverse.
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* Throughout the track, some kind of Shortwave Signal can be heard, the sound becomes more audible and less muffled at 0:59.
  
 
== Trivia ==
 
== Trivia ==
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* [[I Saw Through Platonia]] ends with 9 extra seconds of complete silence, which brings the runtime of ''[[Inferno]]'' up to 70:00, which is very clearly on purpose, as [[Boards of Canada]] have referenced the number 70 many times in their previous works, including the name of their label [[Music70]]. the duo have used this trick before with their 2002 album ''[[Geogaddi]]'' which includes the track "[[Magic Window]]", which is entirely silent and brings the album’s runtime to 66:06.
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* Platonia is the name of a genus of trees that only consists of one species.
  
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== Videos ==
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{{#widget:YouTube|id=K5t9ZfZUjQk}}
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{{#widget:YouTube|id=l27Kx0vUhDQ}}
  
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== Videos ==
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== Audio ==
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<spotify width="100%" height="380">track/5an1rwnU7xSaAzuUiyHYBy </spotify>
  
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== See Also ==
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* "[[R35TT B01]]"
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* "[[Magic Window]]"
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 16:40, 6 October 2026

I Saw Through Platonia
Running time 2:39
Appears on Inferno (2026)
Next Vol.4 - P. Primers - 177 Giraud's Mirror (Red vinyl edition only)
Prev You Retreat In Time And Space


"I Saw Through Platonia" is the eighteenth and final track on Boards of Canada's fifth studio album, Inferno.


Comments[edit]

  • The title "I Saw Through Platonia" most likely refers to the concept by British physicist Julian Barbour called the realm of Platonia, an infinite timeless landscape which contains every possible arrangement and configuration of the universe.[1]
    • Itself influenced by Plato's concept of the world of forms (called "Hyperuranion" in the original Greek).
  • The melody in this track shares a slight resemblance to the melody in "R35TT B01".
  • Throughout the track, a beat resembling a heartbeat can be heard, up until the track abruptly ends.
  • There is 9 seconds of silence at the end of the track, presumably a callback to "Magic Window".

Samples / Lyrics[edit]

  • The sound at the end of the track seems to be a carrier wave signal; a carrier wave is a steady high-frequency electromagnetic waveform which serves as a base to "carry" lower-frequency information from a transmitter to a receiver.
  • The auditory phenomenology common associated with the DMT experience, which shares commonalities with near-death experiences, is often described as "the carrier signal."
  • As of June 3rd, 2026, it has not been established whether the carrier wave signal at the end of this track contains information, or if so, what.
  • 40 seconds into the track, what seems to be a slowed down recording of the ringing of a railroad crossing bell can be heard. This sound turns out to be in a palindromic structure, as it sounds nearly identical when the track is played in reverse.
  • Throughout the track, some kind of Shortwave Signal can be heard, the sound becomes more audible and less muffled at 0:59.

Trivia[edit]

  • I Saw Through Platonia ends with 9 extra seconds of complete silence, which brings the runtime of Inferno up to 70:00, which is very clearly on purpose, as Boards of Canada have referenced the number 70 many times in their previous works, including the name of their label Music70. the duo have used this trick before with their 2002 album Geogaddi which includes the track "Magic Window", which is entirely silent and brings the album’s runtime to 66:06.
  • Platonia is the name of a genus of trees that only consists of one species.

Videos[edit]

Audio[edit]

See Also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4760621
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