| LφVE & EVφL | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Studio album by Boris | ||
| Released | October 4 2019 | |
| Recorded | 2011 at Peace Music in Tokyo, Japan | |
| Genre | Post-Rock, Drone, Experimental, Sludge Metal | |
| Length | 62:12 | |
| Label | Third Man Records | |
| Producer | Boris | |
| Boris chronology | ||
| Tears E.P. (2019) |
LφVE & EVφL (2019) |
1985 (2019) |
LφVE & EVφL is the twenty-fifth studio album by Japanese experimental band Boris, released 4 October 2019 on Third Man Records.[1] The band describes the release as two distinct but interconnected works, bearing the titles LφVE and EVφL respectively, "encapsulating conflicting connotations that interweave and become intricately entangled with one another, gradually eroding before becoming utterly singular."[2] The release was intended to illustrate the different extremes of the sounds Boris has explored previously in their discography,[3] and as a counterpoint to their darker and more aggressive previous album Dear.[4]
LφVE & EVφL would be released as a double LP, along with a double CD despite it's length of being a little over an hour. Thus, it is essentially a double album. Two music videos would be made to promote the album in "LOVE" (15 August 2019)[5] and "Shadow of Skull".[6]
Upon its release, the album received mostly positive reviews. Thom Jurek of AllMusic called the album "an uneven whole" while "one wishes for more organic cohesion between the set's independent halves;" but concluded that "most longtime Boris fans will go for this since they're used to the band's bouncing between sonic poles."[7] Grayson Haver Currin of Pitchfork issued a largely negative review (5.8/10), calling the band "self-satisfied" and offering songs "that, by and large, feel like adult-coloring-book versions of Boris triumphs past."[8] Spencer Nafekh-Blanchette of Exclaim! was more positive, describing the album as "mixing dissonant ambience with unrelenting distortion to create soundscapes that can be felt with every fibre of your being," and concluding that "Boris create layered atmospheres that are equal parts beautiful and menacing."[9] Heavy Blog Is Heavy would also give a fairly average review, stating "LOVE & EVOL is not a total failure of an album by any means. Boris still know how to make their instruments sound excellent, and they’re as locked in together as they’ve ever been here. From the fan’s perspective, there’s plenty of mileage to be had here; the opener and two title tracks alone are more than worth any price of admission here. But the other four songs on LOVE & EVOL all fall flat and aren’t particularly memorable, especially juxtaposed to the number of truly impeccable records in Boris’ corpus. This isn’t a bad album, but it’s truly difficult to imagine anybody walking away from this record satisfied and on the edge of their seat looking towards the future of this legendary trio."[10]
Tracklist[]
LφVE[]
- 1. Away From You (7:32)
- 2. Coma (7:38)
- 3. EVOL (16:23)
EVφL[]
- 1. 埋づめ -uzume- (8:24)
- 2. LOVE (6:46)
- 3. In The Pain(t) (3:35)
- 4. 終曲 -Shadow of Skull- (11:32)
Personnel[]
- Wata - Guitar, Echo
- Atsuo - Drums, Percussion, Electronics, Vocals
- Takeshi - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
- Shinobu Narita - Electronics (1-1)
- Etsuo Nagara - Electronics, Samples (1-3)
- Fangs Anal Satan - Design, Recording, Mixing
- Soichirou Nakamura - Mastering
- Mami Saitou - Artworks
- Miki Matsushima - Photography
- Justin Simon - Translation