Review
From the opening notes, Boards of Canada’s fifth album departs from the hazy nostalgia that defined their early work, stepping instead into a sharp, confrontational present. Critical consensus frames Inferno as a stark pivot after a 13-year hiatus. Sasha Geffen of Resident Advisor notes that the Scottish duo have abandoned their typical "fuzz and wistfulness" for jarring drumbeats and basslines that "slam against the ear," leaning heavily into the "dog-eared playbooks" of industrial and jungle.
This newfound clinical edge divides opinions, particularly where the duo’s thematic ambition borders on the abrasive. Beats Per Minute accents this shift, observing that the album exchanges the "amniotic fluid quality" of their back catalog for a much more direct worldview. Yet, the record's heavy vocal chopping and religious imagery also drew backlash; The Guardian dismissed the "dubious" spiritual themes and its "worse still" drum programming as flat and unamusing. Ultimately, Inferno stands as a disquieting monument, trading warm, comforting memory for a dark, immediate reality.
