Tomorrow's Harvest
by Boards of Canada
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: Jun 11, 2013
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 118 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 108 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 118
  3. Negative: 5 out of 118
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  1. delusionn
    Jun 11, 2013
    9
    For all the nostalgia Tomorrow's Harvest oozes, it's not nostalgia for uncomplicated childhood memories and innocence of youth; it's nostalgia of a certain era, and to a certain degree, even the science and pseudoscience of the era parts Boards of Canada's albums sound like they could have been pulled from Jacques Cousteau documentaries (which was the case at least once), In Search Of…,For all the nostalgia Tomorrow's Harvest oozes, it's not nostalgia for uncomplicated childhood memories and innocence of youth; it's nostalgia of a certain era, and to a certain degree, even the science and pseudoscience of the era parts Boards of Canada's albums sound like they could have been pulled from Jacques Cousteau documentaries (which was the case at least once), In Search Of…, "Ancient Aliens" documentaries hosted by Rod Serling and the documentary about the pseudoscience of Erich von Daniken, Nova, and perhaps least surprisingly nature and science documentaries by the National Film Board of Canada.

    Boards of Canada reference ephemeral music of old 1970s documentaries and movies in a way that can be especially creepy because not only are my memories of it profoundly imperfect, but so are the extant archives of them, having in most cases traveled through several generations of degraded tape. Much of their work revels in its own references to analogue culture, 70s futurism, and imperfect memory, and Tomorrow's Harvest is a return to that feel that they briefly stepped away from during The Campfire Headphase.

    Tomorrow's Harvest sounds like a soundtrack to a long-forgotten unearthed documentary about events and concepts which are often difficult to treat fairly in one hour and frankly quite sinister the failures of social and agrarian policies, the failure of utopia, occultism, the frailty of memory, the paranoia of the Cold War, ecological disaster, the reality behind surface appearances, eschatology, and lonliness.

    This is a bit less accessible than Geogaddi, but inhabits a similar dark space. Tomorrow's Harvest is very nearly exactly the album I was hoping it would be.    … Expand
  2. MusiclyMade
    Jun 11, 2013
    9
    Although Boards of Canada may not immediately strike a first-time listener as great fun, my own personal joy comes through involving myself with the music rather than superficially glancing. Dissecting their music, and their clues and tricks, is what allows me to work out the questions I have about the band. Although everything Boards of Canada put into their music is right there in frontAlthough Boards of Canada may not immediately strike a first-time listener as great fun, my own personal joy comes through involving myself with the music rather than superficially glancing. Dissecting their music, and their clues and tricks, is what allows me to work out the questions I have about the band. Although everything Boards of Canada put into their music is right there in front of me and requires so little to lose myself in, it asks a lot of me to work things out. Although I can now look back at their older material and constantly confirm their intentions to myself, Tomorrow's Harvest will keep me occupied in this respect for just as long. Although I do have questions this time around, that are slight annoyances rather than general wonder, it’s this kind of trickery that keeps Boards of Canada enjoyable and by the time I've worked out everything from their music that I think I possibly can, they'vee left a sizable mark on my life.… Expand
  3. Plush
    Jun 12, 2013
    10
    The silver lining around the eight-year wait between albums is that my yearning for more BoC sent me on deeper voyages through their catalog until I had absorbed every vibration. At its bleakest, Tomorrow's Harvest never loses its undercurrent of optimism. For the experienced listener, BoC combines heart and brain in music that evokes faint memories of some forgotten, but beloved, home.
  4. PaperbagWriter
    Jun 11, 2013
    10
    Boards of Canada is back. That's all you need to know actually. The same sound you've listened to for years, remade fresh by the only two who can make it happen. Best album this year hands down.
  5. mtofer
    Apr 24, 2014
    8
    It sounds like pure Sci-Fi, but inspired on real humankind issues. The shortest tracks are the most deep and fascinating ones.

    Im still shocked how their music is very well known and they dont even have to play live. If you search on YouTube 'Boards of Canda Live', you will find nothing.
  6. fraspi
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    What I love about this album is that BoC are still BoC and it is still the best ambient music to date. But it is also completely different. BoC were never so dark, so ambient and so non-melodic. But the atmosphere remains and that's what was initially that what made BoC so special, wasn't it?
  7. Isaac_P
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    This may not be the most compelling or even vibrant BoC album, but it brings something new to the table, sadly not everyone will enjoy this new music tempo, but its just as amazing as all the other albums released by them.
    10/10 masterpiece, however this album can get kinda dull.
  8. sratomasfer
    Jan 2, 2017
    9
    If people cant stand there not being a melody all the time-this album is not for them. If people cant stand not having a classic downtempo breakbeat-this album is not for them. But for the rest of us who genuinely appreciate sound design and old film soundtracks will have a great time listening to this open ambient masterpiece.
  9. dangerelis
    Jun 11, 2013
    10
    Although not as striking as their debut album Music Has the Right to Children, Tomorrow's Harvest is everything i had hoped for in a return from Boards of Canada. It has a feeling of fallout, what to expect after a cataclysmic event, and each track is its own part of that journey. There are throwbacks to Boards of old, and also new ventures into their sound scape and i can't stop listening to it.
  10. PaulCharles
    Jun 17, 2013
    10
    I'm not sure how I missed this band. I search for new music all the time and I luckily came across Boards of Canada through metacritic. This is one of the best cd's I've ever heard. It takes you to a completely new place. Would recommend to anyone!
  11. niqart
    Jul 9, 2015
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 8 years of expecting for such an unispiral monotonous bland album. Only 2 tracks can be compared with previous melody-riched albums: Reach for the Dead & New Seeds. Just can`t believe how some of fans loudly praise it with words "their best album" or "this album changed my life". It seems so ridiculous especially after existing such lush, intricate, truly adventurous album like their "Geogaddi". Almost all the tracks of "Tomorrow's Harvest" were made of two or sometimes three sample loops strengthed for 4-6 minutes. Cant figure out how such boring builded stuff can be enjoyable.… Expand
  12. VonSeux
    Jul 25, 2013
    2
    Listened to this after saw it on a top-seller list; I don't have any prior knowledge of the band and sure I am missing something here. Nothing special really happens; it's like an OST to a video game like Mass Effect or something. Why the fuzz?
  13. InTheCanopy
    Mar 29, 2014
    5
    I have not owned any other Boards of Canada album before but my take on this album is that it`s not as stimulating or as ambient as I`d hoped it would be. I didn`t like the dark sound in most of the tracks, I usually don`t mind darker tones but I found most of them were lacking substance and many of the tracks didn`t really have that somewhat monotonous and stabilizing sound that usuallyI have not owned any other Boards of Canada album before but my take on this album is that it`s not as stimulating or as ambient as I`d hoped it would be. I didn`t like the dark sound in most of the tracks, I usually don`t mind darker tones but I found most of them were lacking substance and many of the tracks didn`t really have that somewhat monotonous and stabilizing sound that usually lures me to buy these kind of albums.… Expand
  14. killingspree
    Nov 17, 2013
    10
    Another amazing release from one of the pioneers of "IDM". The album is much darker than their previous release The Campfire Headphase, but satisfying nonetheless. I just wish it didn't take them 7 years to release the album.
  15. All_ButTrU4
    Dec 20, 2021
    7
    A modest sublime dose of nostalgia from the minds that brought you "Music has the right to children".
    Could perfectly operate as a score to a Sundance film darling this is good instrumental music . The ambience isn't meandering and the record has a kit to say if you'll let it.

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best Album of 2013
85
#85 Most Discussed Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Magnet
    Jul 17, 2013
    85
    Though it's easily the group's densest, most challenging release to date, Tomorrow's Harvest will likely gratify anyone willing to dig deep enough to reap its wonders. [No. 100, p.53]
  2. Q Magazine
    Jul 10, 2013
    60
    Tomorrow's Harvest delivers oceans of spare, mellow and melodic electronica, but what it doesn't offer is much in the way of surprises. [Aug 2013, p.98]
  3. NOW Magazine
    Jul 8, 2013
    80
    The moody synthesizer soundscapes of Tomorrow’s Harvest reveal their rewardingly intricate layers and details with repeated listens.
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