Geogaddi
Label(s)	warp
Catalogue No(s)	warplp101 warpcd101 warpcd101LTD
Release date(s)	13 Feb 2002(Japan) 18 Feb 2002(Europe) 19th Feb 2002(USA)
Format(s)	gatefold 3xlp CD limited edition hardback CD
Running time(s)	66:06 (standard) 68:16 (japanese)

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/2725/geogaddicl5.jpg

Geogaddi, Boards of Canada's second full-length missive since 1998's Music Has the Right to Children, is without a doubt the group's most contreversial record. Released suddenly in 2002 with little or no promotion, the record made its official debut in six churches scattered across the world: London, New York, Tokyo, Edinburgh, Paris, and Berlin. Only one interview (conducted via e-mail with NME) was given in connection with the release (Source).

Received with an initial lack of enthusiasm among some listeners who found the record to be 'more of the same,' critically the album was generally warmly recieved. The intricacy and detail of its production makes the album a rich experience, yielding new detail with each subsequent listen.

Pared down from an extraordinary 90+ tracks to a total of 23 (one of which is silence), Geogaddi has been described by Boards of Canada as "a record for some sort of trial-by-fire, a claustrophobic, twisting journey that takes you into some pretty dark experiences before you reach the open air again. It has a kind of narrative" ([OOR, 2002])

Described in early interviews by Michael Sandison as "[reflecting] a chaotic period in [their] personal lives" (([OOR, 2002])), the brothers have subsequently admitted that the turmoil of the 9/11 terrorist attacks significantly influenced the tone and direction of Geogaddi. Said Michael:

"'Geogaddi' was kind of exorcising demons, and even after we'd set out to do a record like that, smack in the middle of working on it, 9/11 happened. I remember there were a few of us in the studio that day, and we just ended up glued to the TV for the whole day. I think the months after that pushed us into making a darker record, as I'm sure it did with a lot of bands." ([Play Louder, 2005])

The controversial nature of Geogaddi, however, has more to do with the 'lyrical' content of the album than with its style or context. The hidden elements (backmasked vocals, voices embedded deeply into the mix, etc.), while often present in their previous output, abound in unprecedented numbers on Geogaddi. The subjects addressed in these vocal samples range anywhere from the occult to the mathematical to the possibly satanic.

The following divisions will address some of the primary themes found throughout Geogaddi:

Satanism

Note: Satanism will here be distinguished from the occult, inasmuch as many of the occult references in Geogaddi are arguably not Judeo-Christian in nature, and therefore, stictly speaking, are not 'satanic'.

A common sentiment expressed in some people's reactions to Geogaddi is summarized very well by the following Amazon.com customer review of the album by Dennis P. Boehmer:

"A person can't listen to a BOC disc without feeling that there is something baleful in their music. These guys are weirdos (from the interviews they've done), which doesn't take anything away from what they may be trying to accomplish (make good music). I believe they are trying to do something more than just make good music. They are working for the side that I'm not on, so it would be deleterious to my soul to listen to the influential grooves they lay down. The evil is blatant" ([Amazon, 2003]).

Claims like this one beg the question: just how much satanic content is there on Geogaddi?

As far as the community is currently aware, there is only one (possibly two) references to the satanic in the whole of Geogaddi. They are as follows:

1. Towards the end of "Alpha and Omega," (at roughly 6:30) it is believed that a backmasked voice is saying something approximate to the following:

"I'm a God-darned Satanist, and, if I wanted, I'd be in [t]his business too." ([Fredd-E's Lyrics Page]).

2. Towards the end of "You Could Feel the Sky" a backmasked voice is believed to be saying:

"A god with horns, a god with horns" although some interpret this as "a good with hooves, a god with hooves." ([Fredd-E's Lyrics Page]).

A Wikipedia article on "Wicca" (a Neo-Pagan religion) claims that "[i]t is commonly understood that most Wiccans worship two deities: the Goddess, often associated with Gaea or Mother Earth, and her consort the God (sometimes known as the Horned God). It is also common among more traditional groups to acknowledge a unified supreme godhead, frequently referred to as Dryghten" ([Wikipedia: wicca])

As such, it is possible that the reference in this track, if heard correctly, could be pagan in nature rather than satanic.

3.

Geogaddi Trivia

1. When asked about the meaning of the word "Geogaddi," Boards of Canada explained that "[i]t can have several meanings. We have our own definite idea of it, a combination of words that describe an idea we had at the time of writing it, but we want listeners to make their own minds up" ([HMV Magazine, 2002])

Geogaddi was the second full-length album created by Boards of Canada. In the beginning, Geogaddi wasn't as well recieved as Music Has the Right to Children because of the fact that it seemed more "stale" or under-produced than Music Has the Right to Children was. But this since has changed with Geogaddi being the favorite album of many listeners. Geogaddi also has the reputation of being one of the most mysterious and riddle-laden albums in Boards of Canada's discography. With numerous hidden messages about the Devil, subtle references towards gods, mathematically timed and named songs and a track of nothing but pure silence, there is something for everyone in this album. It was released February 18, 2002.

Tracks

1. "ready lets go" – 0.59
2. "music is math" – 5.21
3. "beware the friendly stranger" – 0.38
4. "gyroscope" – 3.35
5. "dandelion" – 1.15
6. "sunshine recorder" – 6.13
7. "in the annexe" – 1.22
8. "julie and candy" – 5.30
9. "the smallest weird number" – 1.17
10. "1969" – 4.21
11. "energy warning" – 0.35
12. "the beach at redpoint" – 4.19
13. "opening the mouth" – 1.11
14. "alpha and omega" – 7.03
15. "i saw drones" – 0.27
16. "the devil is in the details" – 3.53
17. "a is to b as b is to c" – 1.41
18. "over the horizon radar" – 1.09
19. "dawn chorus" – 3.55
20. "diving station" – 1.27
21. "you could feel the sky" – 5.14
22. "corsair" – 2.52
23. "magic window" – 1.46
24. "from one source all things depend" – 2:10 (japanese release only)

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