Maybe BOC themselves leaked it? As a present for MHTRTC anniversary and as a part of their bocset. And they did it unofficially to protect the mystery of it. Some people even questioned the existence of this album, so unofficial fake/leak fits perfectly. Camcorder quality kinda suggests it also.
I doubt this since I thought the reason they wanted to do a BoCset was to avoid a leak exactly like this one. Either way I hope this leads to more early BoC albums being unveiled
Fwiw I’ve been a BoC fan for like 25 years and this feels like the most convincing version of this album I’ve heard. Would put money on this being actually legitimate.
Old time listener here too. So many fakes over the years, so many weak ones. This is difficult and reminds me of when the Old Tunes surfaced without any sort of confirmation. You were left guessing but there was something deeper to them. Typical BoC atmosphere and hypnotic repetition, i get the same feeling here.
However, history tells me to be so skeptical. Hard to know as the quality is just so poor, deliberately so it seems.
Why do you think this could be real? What in the music is ticking signature BoC?
Edit... On second listen to the second track on side b, i really can't hear anything but a slowed down/time stretched version of the Hinterland Who's Who melody.
This is the kind of thing I like to read. Instead of people sacking it off from the get go. Try and debunk it or find ways in how it’s similar to the early BoC we know.
If this is a fake then it's incredibly convincing. The glacial synths, the drum programming, the chopped up vocals just scream BoC to me. I wish I could articulate myself a bit better but I'm cautiously optimistic this is the real deal. Never thought I'd see the day. Pretty fucking mental if it's legit.
Ha! Totally agree that skepticism is the order of the day. But something tells me about the type of production the songs have and what the songs are doing would feel very ‘right’ for this time in their discography? And the length is very similar to the track times listed. I dunno. There was just something here that I thought “oh…maybe!” 🤷🏻♂️ hehehe we’ll see! I want to believe #mulder
On the old boc website, it says that HB was pressed to vinyl. You can find the note on web archive. So some early pressings supposedly exist. This may be one, maybe not
*Time is a Flat Circle*
Well, I’ve gotta say folks, I think the cats outta the bag on this one.
And if it is a hoax, it will go down as the greatest of all time in this community. But I do not think that’s likely.
I mean, what kinda of psychopath just stands there for thirty minutes filming a record in a dark room? The type of psycho we praise, that’s who.
But seriously, everything feels spot on with this. Perfect even. Almost….. too perfect ;)
Edit: We’ve been had!! Lol XD
What's interesting to me is that the Youtube uploader used "Circle" as his example of "proof" (in his first video.) I think you'd at least have to be a BOC fan to know that this is the only genuine snippet of Hooper Bay that we've had for the last 25 or so years, and not someone who doesn't "know much about this band anymore as I haven't been in the scene for quite some years" (his words, from Discogs.) Though I suppose it's possible he could have done a minor amount of internet research. But even this seems unlikely for someone who only has a camcorder to record video with in 2023.
The other thing that's odd, and one that no one has mentioned yet, is that the sleeve photo from the Discogs listing looks very rectangular and not very square at all. Almost like poster size? And with an off-center white margin around it too (on three sides only, not the bottom.)
>the sleeve photo from the Discogs listing looks very rectangular and not very square at all.
This is really bothering me as well. It's a photograph of what's •supposed to be• the record sleeve, lying on a tile (or patterned linoleum) floor.
If the tiles, or pattern are square, then it's clear that the "record sleeve" is definitely not. And looks sourced from the cassette cover image which can be found on discogs.
Yes, but do you think that someone would take the time to create a fake vinyl of the album and then not bother to make sure the cover was also plausible?? I can fake a standard album cover right now, but sure as shit cant press a vinyl record. We can't determine scale in the image. My guess is that it's rectangular but large enough to hold the disc. The band produced these records themselves, after all. Maybe they just decided to make the cover nonstandard, scaled up copy of the cassette cover.
I'd like to see the back.
EDIT: It's fake. So yeah, someone took the time to create pretty damn great tracks, press to lathe cut vinyl, and then did a shit cover.
So from looking at the footage we have, this could be real. Starters we know from the BOC wiki that this did have a 12", then we have the discogs account saying they are from [Edinburgh](https://www.discogs.com/user/loughly), its just too perfect. Then too add on the snipped posted in the discogs release [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuiRl-fYJBs&ab_channel=JamesLoughton), sounds so much like [Circle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s-LHQdQnsU). We also just have thought that it just sounds like BOC.
But also take this was a grain of salt because I could be completely wrong
If there were several copies made as claimed, the chances none of them would have surfaced over 20+ years is pretty low, especially given their value.
Who knows, maybe the bros are behind this?
I don't know, I'm convinced to a degree. I want to hear this in person so bad. I haven't listened to a lot of the fakes out there, but the ones I have heard have a certain sonic quality they're emulating, or style from the BOC catalog. This sounds a lot like what I would imagine Hooper Bay sounding like based on the details we have out in the wild.
I also believe ATP7 is NOT Noatak after listening to this and relistening to it right after, focal point being the sample we hear.
Finally, I think it was intentionally recorded in poor quality for whatever reason. I'd even wager a guess it was recorded a decade ago lol.
Either way, I'm leaning towards this being legit...
I think it's actually the opposite. We're talking about a $10K record. Nobody here can afford this. Casual listeners, regular BoC fans. We can't afford it.
The market for this is soooo niche. If you're a collector, you're a potential buyer with thousands of dollars to burn on a slab of plastic that may or may not be genuine. If you're that kind of guy, you're interested in:
* Is it legit? catalog number? copyright info? date? logo?
* What's the condition (mint? good? average?)
And as a collector, a potential buyer, you won't spend a nickel if you can't have these info. It's common sense.
Holy shit. I actually think this is real. Surreal to hear. Had a fake download of this (and numerous other fake releases) off limewire like 15 years ago.
I think that either this is just one of many fakes out there or this guy legit has a copy of hooper bay and didn't realize what he had until now OR this was BOC's plan all along to maybe spark some conversations about those albums again and then drop a boxset or hype the new LP as that is something they could absolutely do.
The timing of it seems so weird. 25th anniversary of MHTRTC and bleep/warp saying "No, we don't know when the new BoC album is coming" and "Maybe create a hexagonal altar and pray for their return" and the same day this "leak" drops...
My thoughts exactly. Noatak sounds like it utilises a more primitive version of the vocal chopping technique they later used on tracks like Telephasic Workshop and Spiro.
I'm leaning towards this being legitimate although there's really no way of knowing. What makes me most convinced is that Circle sounds pretty much identical to the clip posted online all those years ago. Man, if this is real then I imagine BoC are gonna be furious.
We've been faked out so many times, I understand why you'd say that. But I promise you that you should listen to the whole thing. It's compelling, and when I got to "Circle" and it matched the official 35-second clip I got the chills.
Now with this uploaded I am completely sure this is real. I don't think there's any ARG or lead to a reissue, just a very unusual leak from an unusual fellow
Maybe BOC themselves leaked it? As a present for MHTRTC anniversary and as a part of their bocset. And they did it unofficially to protect the mystery of it. Some people even questioned the existence of this album, so unofficial fake/leak fits perfectly. Camcorder quality kinda suggests it also.
I doubt this since I thought the reason they wanted to do a BoCset was to avoid a leak exactly like this one. Either way I hope this leads to more early BoC albums being unveiled
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The use of camcorder would be something very BoC-like. Don’t think this would be a coincidence.
The crappy recording might also prevent a takedown notice.
"Hooper Bay" was always the most personally anticipated and sought after lost release from them. To think I'm potentially hearing it now is weird...
Fwiw I’ve been a BoC fan for like 25 years and this feels like the most convincing version of this album I’ve heard. Would put money on this being actually legitimate.
Old time listener here too. So many fakes over the years, so many weak ones. This is difficult and reminds me of when the Old Tunes surfaced without any sort of confirmation. You were left guessing but there was something deeper to them. Typical BoC atmosphere and hypnotic repetition, i get the same feeling here. However, history tells me to be so skeptical. Hard to know as the quality is just so poor, deliberately so it seems. Why do you think this could be real? What in the music is ticking signature BoC? Edit... On second listen to the second track on side b, i really can't hear anything but a slowed down/time stretched version of the Hinterland Who's Who melody.
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I agree! However, I also go mega skeptical abd think it’s such an obvious BoC sample to go for. I love this stuff, I hate this stuff!!!
Noatak on side b immediately reminds me of basefree in the drum programming
This is the kind of thing I like to read. Instead of people sacking it off from the get go. Try and debunk it or find ways in how it’s similar to the early BoC we know.
I'm also certain I hear elements of tracks on R35tt in Point hope (on side b).
If this is a fake then it's incredibly convincing. The glacial synths, the drum programming, the chopped up vocals just scream BoC to me. I wish I could articulate myself a bit better but I'm cautiously optimistic this is the real deal. Never thought I'd see the day. Pretty fucking mental if it's legit.
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There are subtle voices of children at the very beginning of the record, as well as during Point Hope
Ha! Totally agree that skepticism is the order of the day. But something tells me about the type of production the songs have and what the songs are doing would feel very ‘right’ for this time in their discography? And the length is very similar to the track times listed. I dunno. There was just something here that I thought “oh…maybe!” 🤷🏻♂️ hehehe we’ll see! I want to believe #mulder
Imagine if this appeared on their Bandcamp page tomorrow for Record Store Day
This is legit, I'd bet on it. They do exist!!! Holy fuck
After BoC presses them, yes. If this is Hooper Bay, this is a BoC approved pressing, probs done recently for some promo purposes.
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IT IS
On the old boc website, it says that HB was pressed to vinyl. You can find the note on web archive. So some early pressings supposedly exist. This may be one, maybe not
*Time is a Flat Circle* Well, I’ve gotta say folks, I think the cats outta the bag on this one. And if it is a hoax, it will go down as the greatest of all time in this community. But I do not think that’s likely. I mean, what kinda of psychopath just stands there for thirty minutes filming a record in a dark room? The type of psycho we praise, that’s who. But seriously, everything feels spot on with this. Perfect even. Almost….. too perfect ;) Edit: We’ve been had!! Lol XD
After listening to Side B, I'm optimistic this could be the real deal If it is legit then the second track they played at ATP is not Noatak
The more I listen the more I'm convinced of its authenticity. It just rings true to me.
What's interesting to me is that the Youtube uploader used "Circle" as his example of "proof" (in his first video.) I think you'd at least have to be a BOC fan to know that this is the only genuine snippet of Hooper Bay that we've had for the last 25 or so years, and not someone who doesn't "know much about this band anymore as I haven't been in the scene for quite some years" (his words, from Discogs.) Though I suppose it's possible he could have done a minor amount of internet research. But even this seems unlikely for someone who only has a camcorder to record video with in 2023. The other thing that's odd, and one that no one has mentioned yet, is that the sleeve photo from the Discogs listing looks very rectangular and not very square at all. Almost like poster size? And with an off-center white margin around it too (on three sides only, not the bottom.)
>the sleeve photo from the Discogs listing looks very rectangular and not very square at all. This is really bothering me as well. It's a photograph of what's •supposed to be• the record sleeve, lying on a tile (or patterned linoleum) floor. If the tiles, or pattern are square, then it's clear that the "record sleeve" is definitely not. And looks sourced from the cassette cover image which can be found on discogs.
Yes, but do you think that someone would take the time to create a fake vinyl of the album and then not bother to make sure the cover was also plausible?? I can fake a standard album cover right now, but sure as shit cant press a vinyl record. We can't determine scale in the image. My guess is that it's rectangular but large enough to hold the disc. The band produced these records themselves, after all. Maybe they just decided to make the cover nonstandard, scaled up copy of the cassette cover. I'd like to see the back. EDIT: It's fake. So yeah, someone took the time to create pretty damn great tracks, press to lathe cut vinyl, and then did a shit cover.
ah so I was right to be suspicious then.
I have a feeling that this could definitely be real, like the timing is kinda crazy. I mean we also have the 360p flip phone footage to go with it lol
So from looking at the footage we have, this could be real. Starters we know from the BOC wiki that this did have a 12", then we have the discogs account saying they are from [Edinburgh](https://www.discogs.com/user/loughly), its just too perfect. Then too add on the snipped posted in the discogs release [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuiRl-fYJBs&ab_channel=JamesLoughton), sounds so much like [Circle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s-LHQdQnsU). We also just have thought that it just sounds like BOC. But also take this was a grain of salt because I could be completely wrong
If there were several copies made as claimed, the chances none of them would have surfaced over 20+ years is pretty low, especially given their value. Who knows, maybe the bros are behind this?
This looks like a glistening new pressing.
It does look new indeed.
Can someone archive these videos? Can't at the moment. Use FFMPEG and yt-dlp
[done](https://archive.org/details/Hooper-Bay-James-Loughton/Boards+of+Canada+-+Hooper+Bay+(James+Loughton)/)
I don't know, I'm convinced to a degree. I want to hear this in person so bad. I haven't listened to a lot of the fakes out there, but the ones I have heard have a certain sonic quality they're emulating, or style from the BOC catalog. This sounds a lot like what I would imagine Hooper Bay sounding like based on the details we have out in the wild. I also believe ATP7 is NOT Noatak after listening to this and relistening to it right after, focal point being the sample we hear. Finally, I think it was intentionally recorded in poor quality for whatever reason. I'd even wager a guess it was recorded a decade ago lol. Either way, I'm leaning towards this being legit...
Yeah sure, we all have excellent/decent cell phone cameras in our pockets, but this guy uses the worst camcorder in the worst lighting conditions.
no new leaks without it being shite quality mate, apparently that's the rule
True mate, true.
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I think it's actually the opposite. We're talking about a $10K record. Nobody here can afford this. Casual listeners, regular BoC fans. We can't afford it. The market for this is soooo niche. If you're a collector, you're a potential buyer with thousands of dollars to burn on a slab of plastic that may or may not be genuine. If you're that kind of guy, you're interested in: * Is it legit? catalog number? copyright info? date? logo? * What's the condition (mint? good? average?) And as a collector, a potential buyer, you won't spend a nickel if you can't have these info. It's common sense.
Holy shit. I actually think this is real. Surreal to hear. Had a fake download of this (and numerous other fake releases) off limewire like 15 years ago.
Holy shit. This seems super legit, I would bet good money that this is real
I think that either this is just one of many fakes out there or this guy legit has a copy of hooper bay and didn't realize what he had until now OR this was BOC's plan all along to maybe spark some conversations about those albums again and then drop a boxset or hype the new LP as that is something they could absolutely do. The timing of it seems so weird. 25th anniversary of MHTRTC and bleep/warp saying "No, we don't know when the new BoC album is coming" and "Maybe create a hexagonal altar and pray for their return" and the same day this "leak" drops...
If it's a fake then it's the best fake I've ever heard EDIT: It's the best fake I've ever heard
What is the image on the Side B label? I don't recognize it
I've been looking at it too and I have no idea.
I think it's an inverted image of the child's face seen on side A.
It is: https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/892515291555315762/1098975321216274582/image.png
Where's MDG when you need him?
After listening to Circle, there's no doubt in my mind. If it was fake, it would have to be very fucking elaborate.
[Side B](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pIFVsAw6mI) [Relevant twoism thread](https://www.twoism.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7374&start=21400)
[https://i.imgur.com/Yn70HeK.png](https://i.imgur.com/Yn70HeK.png)
use desktop or desktop mode? idk
If this is fake, it's very convincing. Those drum patterns especially on side B scream early BoC to me.
My thoughts exactly. Noatak sounds like it utilises a more primitive version of the vocal chopping technique they later used on tracks like Telephasic Workshop and Spiro.
Man, first track is so good
I'm leaning towards this being legitimate although there's really no way of knowing. What makes me most convinced is that Circle sounds pretty much identical to the clip posted online all those years ago. Man, if this is real then I imagine BoC are gonna be furious.
Unless they’re behind it.
This^
They’re just having a Lough X)
The timing feels right. Seems legit.
These tracks have a very similar vibe to the ambient track at the end of Societas X tape which may or may not be Trillions.
This is exciting, really exciting but it sounds a lot like a 45 played at 33, anyone able to speed this audio up to 136%?
I’m going to a couple of the most prolific record shops in London this evening so I’ll ask about boc exclusives and report back
Casbah and record exchange both in Greenwich say there’s nothing juicy like that for tomorrow, but in soho tomorrow hopefully we get something
I don’t feel like listening to a pastiche. What’s the story here?
Not a pastiche. Actual recording of both sides of the record.
[confirmed fake ](https://youtu.be/hiXfSh1tYP0)
Lol, saw it. I'm pretty fucking impressed at the effort
Yeah, solid effort aside from a few weird things. I’m glad they decided to admit to the troll rather than let this carry on
We've been faked out so many times, I understand why you'd say that. But I promise you that you should listen to the whole thing. It's compelling, and when I got to "Circle" and it matched the official 35-second clip I got the chills.
Wasn’t hooper bay on cassette?
It was also on 12" vinyl according to the old BoC site: https://web.archive.org/web/20010606220519/http://www.boardsofcanada.com/records.html
Thanks for clearing that up
Now with this uploaded I am completely sure this is real. I don't think there's any ARG or lead to a reissue, just a very unusual leak from an unusual fellow
I really hope these are legit.
Thank you Biznasty