Love & Evol
Love & Evol (stylized as 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."[1] The release was intended to illustrate the different extremes of the sounds Boris has explored previously in their discography,[2] and as a counterpoint to their darker and more aggressive previous album Dear.[3]
| LφVE & EVφL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 October 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2019 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 62:12 | |||
| Label | Third Man Records | |||
| Producer | Boris | |||
| Boris chronology | ||||
| ||||
Composition
On Love & Evol, Boris fuses the "deep breath" of "pleasant" ambient rock with "seismic" drone metal.[4] Dream pop and noise elements also show.[5]
Critical reception
Upon its release, the album received mixed to 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."[2] Grayson Haver Currin of Pitchfork issued a largely negative review, calling the band "self-satisfied" and offering songs "that, by and large, feel like adult-coloring-book versions of Boris triumphs past."[3] 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."[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Away from You" | 7:36 |
| 2. | "Coma" | 7:47 |
| 3. | "EVOL" | 16:29 |
| Total length: | 31:52 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "uzume" | 8:31 |
| 2. | "LOVE" | 6:46 |
| 3. | "In the Pain(t)" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Shadow of Skull" | 11:23 |
| Total length: | 30:20 | |
Personnel
- Takeshi – bass, guitar, vocals
- Wata – guitar, vocals, effects, echo
- Atsuo – drums, vocals
References
- Schatz, Lake (15 August 2019). "Boris set release date for new album LφVE & EVφL, share "Love": Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- Jurek, Thom. "Review: Love & Evol". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- Currin, Grayson Haver (4 October 2019). "Boris: LφVE & EVφL". Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- Heilman, Max (October 3, 2019). "Boris juxtaposes grace and dread on 'LφVE & EVφL' | Review". Riff Magazine. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- Wilson, Scott (October 6, 2019). "Boris: LφVE & EVφL - Spectrum Culture". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- Nafekh-Blanchette, Spencer (2 October 2019). "Boris: LφVE & EVφL". Exclaim!. Retrieved 8 October 2019.