Boards of Canada – Tomorrow's Harvest

Tomorrow's Harvest finds the Sandison brothers turning their backs on the halcyon warmth of 2005's The Campfire Headphase to deliver an album which speaks the language of trauma and uncertainty whilst still managing to luxuriate in both texture and tone.

Standout Jacquard Causeway layers lilting synth lines into a neurotic cacophony and whilst Cold Earth could be an outtake from 2006's Trans Canada Highway EP, tracks such as White Cyclosa and New Seeds succeed by pulling BOC out of their somewhat mannered aesthetic and giving respectful nods to both John Carpenter and Cluster respectively.

Although impeccably produced, much of Tomorrow's Harvest feels tentative in nature (understandable given how long BOC have been AWOL) with numerous tracks petering out before developing into anything particularly engaging. All told, it's a more than welcome return for the beloved duo, but some way from the glorious second coming that certain fans may have been hoping for. [Mark Shukla]