Autechre
http://www.warprecords.com
styles: electronic, intelligent "dance" music, new sounds
others: Aphex Twin, Mouse on Mars, Amon Tobin
 Untilted
Warp, 2005
rating: 4.5/5
reviewer: chessbox
I'm just gonna come out and say it. Autechre are one of the best electronic
groups of the past couple of decades. For one thing, their scope is huge. In the
past 14 years, they've released 7 albums (this is their 8th) and a dozen or so
EPs, and somehow managed to make each one unique yet unmistakably Autechre. With
every new release, Autechre has brought something new to the table, never
retreading paths or allowing themselves to get caught up in trends of the day. Their
music is also often so complex that it takes a few listenings before you can
fully hear what's going on (get it? Try repeating). So it seems that one of Autechre's goals is to get people to look and listen closer. The album's title
alone gives prime evidence of that (no, it's not "Untitled"). And as you could
guess, listening with headphones is so satisfying that it's almost overwhelming
at points (in that blissfully chilling way, of course).
"LLC" kicks off the album with an incredibly addictive beat that seems distantly
IDM, progressing through varied resonances and cutoffs before going all out and
morphing into the melody-driven second movement of the song. And as it would
have seemed,
until Draft 7.30,
a bit contrived to refer to movements
within an Autechre song, Untilted successfully brings those ideas to
life. While the songs are still fairly long and few (70 minute, 8 songs), their
overall structures reach further and wider than any of the duo's
previous works, without losing any of the subtle sound experimentation ("Pro
Radii" even has vocal samples).
With Untilted, it's apparent that Autechre are still on top of their game. Sure,
the music still isn't for everyone, and Untilted is probably not going to
convert anyone who's already decided that they're not into the Autechre sound.
Furthermore, it might be a bit heavy at first and is probably better understood after having
heard at least Tri Repetae++. But if you take your time with it and listen
closely enough, it could easily become your favorite album of the year this far.
1. LLC
2. Ipacial Section
3. Pro Radii
4. Augmatic Disport
5. Iera
6. Fermium
7. The Trees
8. Sublimit
 EP
7
Warp, 1999
rating: 4/5
reviewer: dave hartunian
This is an interesting album/ep. It's actually my first Autechre album that I
bought. I had listened to them a lot before and I decided that it was worth
getting one. I chose this one purely based on the recommendation of a friend,
and although another choice would have been better I still enjoy having this
album.
The one big difference between this and most of Autechre's work is the added
emphasis on the beats and noises than on the harmony and melodies they are known
for. It's also a matter of personal taste. For me, Autechre's Amber is
much more appealing because of its more lyrical nature. Nevertheless, this album
still contains a great deal of strong material. I personally found it harder to
listen to than other Autechre. A lot of the time I wished the harsh beats and
funny noises would drop out so I could hear the synthesizers in the background,
because once you hear the faint harmonies fading in and out in the background,
the songs begin to get more interesting. The beats are interesting as well;
however, I can't deny that there are too many points where I could just hear
this funky organic liquid loop and there's nothing much in terms of harmony to
back it up. While there are some tracks which have a better balance of harmony
and programming too much of the time, I found myself waiting for the 'good
parts' to come in. I personally enjoy the sounds of LP5 the most. I think
its a perfect balance of Autechre's brilliant drum programming combined with
their ability to craft beautiful ambience.
The one thing I hope to make clear is that that there is still emotion within
these songs. That is what Autechre manages beyond most electronic and IDM
groups. The technology is used in such a unique and interesting way that it
never gets in the way of the emotion. While I may consider this to be Autechre's
coldest album, that still does not rule out the emotion within some of these
songs. EP7 is not something I'd put in the stereo if I break up with my
girlfriend; it is something I would put in from time to time to escape the
clutches of life and responsibility. This album is easy to get lost within
because of the lack of any single sounds that one could identify with in their
life and the inclusion of completely new and authentic sounds never heard
before.
The standout track for me on this album would definitely be "Pir," the final
track. Its quite simplistic compared to the rest of the album. There is a
beautiful melody (one of Autechre's best ever) intertwined with a completely
foreign yet organic sounding beat that carries the melody. Some other songs that
stood out for me on this album were: "dropp" (track 6)-- major points from me on
the clear melody in the beginning, definitely shows off some of Autechre's best.
After the aforementioned "Pir," this song is probably my favorite track on
EP7: it's emotional; it has this tragic feel you wouldn't really expect from
electronic music if you haven't heard much before. Some people like the steel
drummy programming, some don't; I like it. There's this great bell melody that I
really loved through "maphive 6.1"; it evolved from a grandeur beginning to a
lighter feel by the end.
Altogether this is by no means a bad album. However, this is a tough one to get
into as a first Autechre record. If you are not familiar with Autechre's music,
I would encourage trying Amber or LP5. I may not listen to Ep7
that often, but it still surprises me. Few artists have the ability to have such
amazing melodies coupled with completely original programming and loops.
1. rpeg
2. ccec
3. squeller
4. left blank
5. outpt
6. dropp
7. liccflii
8. maphive 6.1
9. zeiss contarex
10. netlon sentinel
11. pir
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