GENERAL NEW RELEASE SPECULATION TOPIC PART II

[2020k]

Even admins go above and beyond to claim it's them, solely based on their own wishful thinking. It's giving cult vibes.

???????? Am I chopped liver? It feels like a lot of you forget that I've been an admin for coming up on ten years now. What if it's been me posting on the IG all this time?

Also, these MDG posts from 08 are pretty telling:

MDG: "FYI when mike and marcus found out about the MySpace promotion that you mention, they asked for it to be removed."

MDG: "This message is absolutely right. The guys' 'radio silence' is simply because they're busy. They're not retiring anytime soon. If it gives you guys any kind of useful insight, Mike and Marcus hate doing promotional work, and they see things like MySpace as counter-productive homogenizing communities. But the page was set up by a fan and was already mis-representing the band, so they requested that it was taken over so they could at least know that it wouldn't start filling up with shit. They would have shut it down, but were persuaded by Warp to keep the community going."

[WATER_CAN-_-]

[Burning Shadow]

MDG: "This message is absolutely right. The guys' 'radio silence' is simply because they're busy. They're not retiring anytime soon. If it gives you guys any kind of useful insight, Mike and Marcus hate doing promotional work, and they see things like MySpace as counter-productive homogenizing communities. But the page was set up by a fan and was already mis-representing the band, so they requested that it was taken over so they could at least know that it wouldn't start filling up with shit. They would have shut it down, but were persuaded by Warp to keep the community going."

The Instagram likes are Warp and I would suggest BoC are not micro managing or even paying attention to it

[luminousdusk]

I think now would be a great time for a poll, Just to gauge everyone's opinion on the subject. Not that it really matters but then we know where we all stand on the subject

[outhudd]

MDG: "This message is absolutely right. The guys' 'radio silence' is simply because they're busy. They're not retiring anytime soon. If it gives you guys any kind of useful insight, Mike and Marcus hate doing promotional work, and they see things like MySpace as counter-productive homogenizing communities. But the page was set up by a fan and was already mis-representing the band, so they requested that it was taken over so they could at least know that it wouldn't start filling up with shit. They would have shut it down, but were persuaded by Warp to keep the community going."

The Instagram likes are Warp and I would suggest BoC are not micro managing or even paying attention to it

This is a very strong possibility.

It's possible that every like is really one of the brothers making sure they send us regular messages via instagram likes, but it's also quite possible it's just Warp doing promo for their artists.

[HappyCyclist]

Hey MDG, any update you can give us?

[demo]

Everything for a reason. Why on earth display it as "nobody home... /// -. --- -... --- -.. -.-- / .... --- -- . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-". with the deciphered text directly BEFORE the morse code? Any BoC bozo can decipher this code to see it's the same as the text that came before it. But then... what would be the point of that other than to waste peoples time? That can't be the point, the point must be that it's pointless. Stop looking for things to decipher, they'll just end up doing it themselves. I think It's very unlikely we get an arg like TH, but hopefully we still get something very special. Relax, they'll be home soon.

[2020k]

Hey MDG, any update you can give us?

HONESTLY. I'm kind of shocked we haven't heard anything from him because I was going through all of Hexagon Sun's old posts that BOCPages has archived and they used to always be stomping out the bigger confusion-points like the social media likes and website questions we have now.

There was even one post where MDG shot down a fan saying BOC personally designed their T-shirts. I don't think we need a poll, though a separate topic on the social media and website may help since it's a different kind of speculation.

[♄ope keeper]

Suffice to say, I've heard word since 2022 that the (potentially last) LP has been pretty much good to go, but life got in the way (as it tends to).

Sounds like a pisstake I'm sure, but I'm 55 and have known my dear friend since 1998 and it was quite an odd BoC-end to hear about all this in 2022, after my initial BoC intro having met/barely known an HS acolyte at Dundee art college in the mid to late 90s.

Feel a bit weird typing this all out, I'm an old-ish man, only a month to a year older than either of the lads.
Just had some big news recently (not good, alas) so thought I'd try and spread some BoC-light.

These are dark times, have felt like posting something a couple of times over the last two years but it never felt right, doesnae even now to be honest, but hey ho, fuck it. We're all gonna die at some point eh.

Thank you for sharing (after reading your previous posts it sounds legit)... but what now... be thankful for likes and keep cheering BOC up?

[Fredd-E]

but what now... be thankful for likes and keep cheering BOC up?

This kind of positivity will certainly be well received. We have been waiting for a new LP for 12 years, so a little extra time won't hurt... In my opinion, it is no longer a question of if, but when anyways.

[steeldancer-x]

Humans are so clever as individuals
and so dumb as a collective group

[Frindia]

Album artwork will be all black reminiscent of the theme of the cosmos, the need to escape Earth and start again.

[Antares]

Have BoC become more than just a cultlike phenomenon, but perhaps a full-blown cult in their own right?

Look at what we have going on here:

1. Messianic figures whose return is deeply awaited at an unknwon time,
   
2. a dedicated temple (twoism) for their veneration,
   
3. portentous apparitions in the form of various likes and errors that descend from a mysterious source up high,
   
4. the devout study of ancient interviews and quotes as holy scripture to be interpreted to decode the mysteries of the present,
   
5. anticipation and celebration of holidays linked to significant moments and dates (June 6th, various album anniversaries),
   
6. various false prophets and questionable priests coming forward with their own claims of "something coming",
   
7. and now, a schism forming over differing interpretations of the true sources of authority.

Is their distance from us because, as the doubters among us, they don't care for their fans and laugh at leaving us in the dark?

Are they devoted perfectionists with an high level of care and devotion to their work with a strong tendency toward secrecy?

Has life gotten in the way and they've chosen to take hiatus from music?

Or perhaps this was their plan all along. Maybe they are fascinated by the mythos that they're capable of generating simply by virtue of the silence, and Geogaddi was a prophecy of the following they were cultivating all along.

I can only guess myself, but have come to believe that the mystique they've cultivated is partially based on the personalities of the bros, and also something that's been intentionally designed as integral part of their work itself. With the anti-technology and anti-conusmerist idea they've expressed over the years, coupled with the themes of longing and mystery throughout their music itself, it wouldn't make sense if they were posting constantly online or streaming live vlogs on Twitch.

It's important to keep in mind that they grew up at a time when not knowing anything about when your favorite band was going to drop an album was the norm. In the age of instant gratification through streaming and constant access, we expect so much from our favorite artists to keep us constantly updated. Of course Boards' radio silence is unusual by the standards of any era, but I like to think they're trying to bring back some of that unknowability into a world where so much is easily discovered.The enigma they embody and their resistance to modern release cycles is part of what they're trying to achieve not just as musicians, but as artists in general. I'm just grateful to be along for the ride and am looking forward to something new from them in my lifetime, no matter how it comes.

[2020k]

Album artwork will be all black reminiscent of the theme of the cosmos, the need to escape Earth and start again.

Please no. Plain Black album artwork is very "I'm an artist trying to be profound." Gimme some blurred out family faces or something.

[magrathea_ultima]

The whole”they liked this new music/new album” post to me is irrelevant, for one they like there are dozens that are not liked, so yeah I’d say the chances of an employee just doing the bare contractual minimum is likely the explanation.

I mean I am all for the mystique etc. But the world has changed, the business has changed, and well even BoC has changed, the asymptotic decline in actual output being it in music, communication, whispers or messages through third parties is near the absolute zero.

I would say that I consider their status now as unknown, ie I cannot say with any confidence they are still active. It has been so long.

Mind you, Coroner is coming up with their first album in 35 years… but they never went awol…

Send me a sign, BoC

It costs you nothing, it implies nothing, it is not nice to ghost your fans.

Anyways, good night.

[Cyclosa]

It is not nice to ghost your fans.

[girlfrequencies]

At this point I’m torn between the idea that a "Warp intern" is behind the recent activity vs. it being from BoC / Hexsun; both seem plausible and have good reasoning to believe

Props to those keeping up optimistic sentiments in the forum. This last year or so has been atypical, and has gotten more confusing with time

At this point their status is active(?), but indiscernible. Only time will tell, hopefully sooner than later (PRAYING FOR AN MDG UPDATE!)

[Sherbet Head]

Forgive me if this is common knowledge, but I noticed that Warp and BoC don't follow each other on social media. Now I'm certain that BoC have never followed Warp, but I could've swore that Warp previously followed BoC?

Is this cryptic 'marketing', or is there more to this than meets the eye?

Also, a micro observation:

It's widely known that Aphex Twin and Squarepusher both have a 'hands off' approach when it comes to social media. This means that all of their channels are solely managed by Warp representatives. Interestingly, they both only follow one account on IG, which is obviously Warp Records.

We can clearly see that Boards of Canada doesn't follow anyone on social media, not even Warp, which (to me) suggests that Warp do not have access to the BoC accounts, meaning those comment likes probably came from the brothers or somebody close to the bros.

[Fredd-E]

Is this cryptic 'marketing', or is there more to this than meets the eye?

We can clearly see that Boards of Canada doesn't follow anyone on social media, not even Warp, which (to me) suggests that Warp do not have access to the BoC accounts, meaning those comment likes probably came from the brothers or somebody close to the bros.

This can mean one of three things:
1) Warp never followed BoC (can we somehow verify this?)
2) Warp followed BoC, but Warp removed the connection
3) Warp followed BoC, but BoC removed the connection

1) This is odd because they follow a lot of artists on their roster
2) Do they have a fall out? But what about the merchandise? I assume BoC needed to sign off on that
3) BoC does not agree with some of Warp's decisions? Or they simply prepare for independency?

I find it difficult to choose...

With regard to the likes and other limited activity on their social media, I am convinced that they do not need anyone from Warp for this. They can easily handle this with their Hexagon Sun posse.

[Chodlington]

Whatever's going on, I won't be remembering the build up to the next album particularly fondly. Seems to have caused a lot of division within the fanbase, and it's been a bit of a mess.