Why I Love Music Has the Right to Children and How It Inspired My Work

Music Has the Right to Children is like a trip through old memories, half-remembered dreams, and that strange feeling of nostalgia you can’t quite explain. When I first heard it, something clicked. Released in 1998 by the Scottish duo Boards of Canada (Marcus Eoin and Michael Sandison), it instantly stood out as something special, and it’s been a huge influence on my sound. What I love most about this album is how it captures a kind of quiet nostalgia, by using lo-fi textures, old-school analog gear to form dreamlike soundscapes. It’s warm, weird, and oddly emotional all at once.

Album art for music has the right to children, listen here

Hearing this album made me want to explore similar territory in my own music—trying to blend various sonic textures that feel both comforting and a little unsettling. Tracks like “Rue the Whirl” and “Happy Cycling” especially stuck with me. They showed me that electronic music doesn’t have to be so cold—it can be deeply personal. Boards of Canada are masters of sound design. They use vintage synths, old tape machines, and weird samples to build their world. There’s a huge warmth to their work that I try to bring into my own tracks. Songs like “Snow” and “Slow Motion” were heavily inspired by that layering of ambient sounds with gentle rhythms, creating space for the listener to get lost in.

One thing that really stands out about Music Has the Right to Children is its imperfections. The hiss, the warble, the slightly out-of-tune moments—they all give the music a very human feel. It’s not polished in the way a lot of digital music is, and that’s part of what makes it so powerful. I’ve learned to embrace that in my own work—letting the flaws and textures come through to add warmth and honesty.

This album taught me that sometimes the most subtle, quiet sounds can hit the hardest. It’s played a huge role in shaping my creative direction, and I still go back to it often for inspiration. If you’re curious about how it’s influenced my music, check out my stuff on Bandcamp, listen here