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Lianne

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  1. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    I'm sure I remember in the Exai thread you were talking about Exai not being as deep as the likes of Confield and Draft, and I disagreed with you? I'm going to say the same here, I definitely think that tracks like the CIRCLONTs, Syro and Earth Portal are lot deeper (as in more layered, more going on, more subtelty, more complex) than anything by The Tuss. Maybe I'm easier to please with new releases. I always seem to think these guys keep improving :) I think that was 'Oversteps' - unless I'm remembering wrong! But I admit I was very wrong on that count. I guess my tastes just don't gel so well with those old vintage drum machine sounds and blatantly synthy-synth lines. I should just enjoy what I can enjoy about the album and move on. I do hope this bent towards nostalgia and analog noodling lessens soon, but even if it doesn't I understand artists are free to do wha they want, and there's still plenty of amazing music to enjoy. :)
  2. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    People were asking about freshness. What is fresh sounding? The amazing opening two tracks of this album! (I hadn't heard the live versions.) What doesn't sound fresh at all? (As in, sounds a bit boring, for various reasons)... Most of the rest of the tracks, what with their retro-fetishism and kitschy melodies and sounds. Everyone is going down this sound route and I've heard those old drum machines and acid squiggles too many times, and done better. All the tracks except the first three pale in comparison to The Tuss, which shares some characteristics but seems far deeper.
  3. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    LOL, I may well start thinking this one is amazing when the next one comes out. But to be honest, that's only happened in a blatant way once, with 'Oversteps'. ;) But it did happen in an admittedly terrible way. In fact, Known (1), which I whinged about muchly, has grown to be one of my favourites. :-D But 'Exai' blew me away first thing, and continues to reveal itself. I think I just want something fresh sounding now. When people ask 'what's wrong with simple good music? Why does music have to pioneer something new?' I think they're responding to something I am not saying. It's not an elitist thing: I just love fresh sounds! :)
  4. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    That's true. I would have just loved something new from the off... A double album would have been fun. :-D One side 'Syro', the other side new things.
  5. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    Yeah, I'm not sure any recent release from this genre has generated this much rage and anger (mainly from those who like it against those who don't so much.) I've seen a bit of that before, but never on this scale. Those who aren't so keen on it seem to have actual reasons as to why they might not be feeling it, but many of the others don't offer much in terms of a way in/new thoughts. Most of us WANT to like it because it's been so long, but I myself become more disappointed with it the more I listen, so I should probably stay away from here. I get that people want to just want to talk about how much they enjoy a release in peace (although it'd be good to read more of that without the insults and one liners. It can actually do good, like inspire others to see the record in a new way. 'The Wire' review sort of helped in that regard, although one can help it if they dislike combinations of sounds!) The album just seems way, way too tame after the first two tracks. It only gets a more hectic in terms of tempo, but sound/meloldy/feelings-wise all the juicy weirdness and strange Aphex emotional punch seems to be stuffed in the first two! (Although they're still very accessible.) What is it with all these 'classic' artists throwing such cheeseball shapes? Enough retro-gazing already!
  6. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    The white noise all over this record is interesting. Is that down to using all that analog gear? It doesn't particularly bother me, it's just interesting.... I must say, I still find the first three tracks head and shoulders above all the rest. The first two are already possibly two of my favourite Aphex tracks ever... I am addicted to them. I am lucky in that i didn't listen to them before getting the album. The rest are funky, but are a bit minimal, bare and kitschy to me. Can't seem to connect very much to them.
  7. Lianne

    APHEX TWIN - SYRO

    Lianne replied to chim's topic in Aphex Twin

    I feel similarly. At the moment only the first three tracks are really doing anything for me, but I am willing to give it more time. Those first three are ace, though. I am also looking forward to hearing more of his other stuff.
  8. Lianne
    To me your albums have just got better and better. Of the latest output, 'Prac-f' in particular totally blows me away. Were you guys feeling the "Woah!" moment as much as I do at the switch 1:55 in? And I know this kind of question can be annoying - but could you share anything about this track? It's got such an amazing, 'thick' vibe. Thank you !
  9. Lianne
    This release is so great! Especially the first two tracks. But I am worried 'L-Event' means 'Last Event' and that there will be no more Autechres.. :-(
  10. Lianne
    Is this release definitely definitely happening?
  11. Lianne
    (Sorry for badly written response ; was done on my phone and I couldn't edit it!) I like TH, but miss some of the detail and structural progressions of previous work. I absolutely welcome and would hope for a new sound, but would have loved for a greater depth of sound/density to have been kept intact along with the new sound/feel. Perhaps that combination wouldn't have suited the theme, however. :)
  12. Lianne
    This is a lovely post. :) I do think there's a difference, however, between expecting/ demanding a new album *sound* like previous albums - to expecting it to have the same kind of invention/creativity/exciting 'attitude' as past works. So if a band totally switches things up sound wise but retain an old sense of adventure, that's great; but if they change sound and it sounds mediocre sell-out-like, that's a while other thing. And lots of electronic and psychedelic folks from the 70s have done that. They protest that they're progressing and listeners don't 'get it', but they've so simplified and watered down as changed direction that it's not so fun to listen to anymore.
  13. Lianne
    (....And it'd all be a bit less magical if those short acoustic-ey interludes from past albums were simply samples from other music. It seems to matter more here than in, say, FSOL's music, for some reason. :) )
  14. Lianne
    oh snap! all my childhood dreams, dashed... I'm really starting to wonder how much of BoC's music is original, and what percentage just really cleverly sampled... (well, they never released that officially, so...) I've been the same way since starting the Future Sound of London forum - It's reached a point now where I wonder which parts haven't been taken from somewhere else ! I thought Boards were generally more into playing lots of acoustic instruments and making their own samples (even when things 'sounded' really sampled?) At least that's what I remember from interviews. It does make a difference to me.... I liked imagining that their friends acted out those documentary-like 'samples', or that, say, the fanfare/ident at the beginning of TH was crafted to sound so convincing from scratch. It'd be a bit boring if they just nabbed it from an old VHS.
  15. Lianne
    I don't know if it's better, I mean who's to say, but as of right now, I really prefer Tomorrow's Harvest to TCH. Both albums are almost like two sides of one coin, the same way Children and Geo were. In my mind, THC was to Children what this new album is to Geo, kind of an older brother with more experience and a greater scope. Beyond these comparisons, I love the new one because it is more minimal, emotionally a bit darker and a lot more mysterious in nature. Tomorrow's Harvest doesn't explicitly say everything it contains - you have to work your way into its songs to appreciate all the subtleties of the music. I always felt that TCH was Boards' pop album - in that everything it has to say stands right there in front of you, which would explain, I guess, its wide popularity. This new one is different: less is more with Tomorrow's Harvest. Fans of ambient music and minimal drone probably have an easier time to get into it. That's why I think it will be a grower for many current haters. After all, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. And sometimes it's harder to appreciate minimal art because you get the feeling that there's not much to chew on or to hold on to. It's like you have to fill in the gaps with your own thoughts and emotions. So in a way, this new album is all about what's left unsaid in the shadows, whereas THC kind of spoon-fed you its melodies under the sun. That's why Tomorrow's Harvest, as beautiful as it is, sometimes feels so uneasy, desolate and melancholic. Another 420-friendly album for sure - a consistent factor that hasn't changed throughout Boards' discography. I'm up and down with the new album, but this is some beautiful writing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Posts like this inspire me to just enjoy the album more and stop imagining what it 'could be'. A part of whether we enjoy an album (or whatever else) IS choice (hence why it is so tough for new artists.) If I go into listening to TH in a remotely 'critical' or entitlement-driven mindset, it falls flat, as there is a lot to criticise (maybe). But when I've just let it wash over me and chosen to be optimistic, it has been very enjoyable. It's not a difficult listen, that's for sure. :)
  16. Lianne
    What do people make of the mastering/overall 'sound' of this album? It seems quite quiet/light/bright compared to many of my other albums and older BoC. Some frequencies also hurt/ring in my ears a little, such as the ending sounds in the first track. Most tracks sound great in my car though; these things are mostly noticeable on headphone listens.
  17. Lianne
    Yes, I think this too.
  18. Lianne
    Still my favorite. Followed by Nothing is Real. It is a wonderful track. I do really miss the static that was in the broadcast version, though!
  19. Lianne
    It's not about individual tracks, though. This as an album, works superbly even without the 'tunes'. I get you, and it's good you enjoy the album as a whole. I find that Geogaddi also had (probably even more) of those little tunes, but they were somehow much more interesting and less barren sounding (in fact, I loved them), and they all flowed into each other and into the 'bigger' tracks in a way that was really satisfying. Maybe I just have a dislike of fades! It's not that I'm demanding this sound like Geogaddi, though. I like it when bands change their sound. In fact, I would have been happy if this were even more different to their past work, as much as I love that old stuff. It's more like Geogaddi showed me it is possible to have this sprawling album full of 'little tunes' work really well. It showed me what is possible.
  20. Lianne
    It would have been nice if 'White Cyclosa', 'Collapse' and 'Uritual' were replaced with pieces that are a little more...interesting. :)
  21. Lianne
    I've listened some more. I promised I wouldn't whine about it and then come back saying it's amazing, as I have been prone to do with Ae. But I am absolutely amazed it hasn't disappointed more fans, given that it's quite minimal, sparse and even undercooked sounding (to me - even if it has great detail on some occasions), and what with the early fade outs with track after track, the lack of much melodic depth in most of the tracks (irrespective of production qualities), and considering that 'Reach for the Dead' (one we already heard) is probably the best on the album - and that is has more 'filler' than I would expect, but now the 'shorter' tracks are longer than usual BoC short tracks, only with less going on and less melody, while the 'longer' tracks are generally shorter and generally don't build into anything, (ending early only to be interrupted with another vignette, etc.) I'm not talking about whether I like it or not, because I've waited 8 years and am willing to put up with those design choices to enjoy the good that's in there - I'm referring more to the hysterically positive initial reactions, which I find baffling in light of the pre-released hype, BoC's back catalog, the 'singles' released earlier, and now how the album actually plays.
  22. Lianne
    The overwhelming majority of fans on this forum and others, as well as stellar reviews suggest that this is a classic. I don't agree. I've been listening to this solidly for three days but I'm beginning to wonder if a) I'm doing this simply because it's BOC and b) I've waited eight years for an album. I don't want to get into any arguments here or stir up abuse - If you really like the album - great. I'm happy for you. Please don't start flaming me simply because my opinion doesn't fall in with yours. Music means different things to different people. For me, it has always come down to a familiar pattern with their releases. Every album has a fair share of fillers, a couple of good tracks and two or three tracks that are just so far removed from the others, so stellar and fantastic that I still find myself returning to them long after the rest has been mostly forgotten. On 'Tomorrow's Harvest' the first two types are in evidence. The third is sadly missing. People will say I'm not giving it a fair chance. BOC slowly reveal the magic over months of playing. I've never found that to be the case with them before. There have always been standout tracks right off the bat. I don't know why it took them eight years to put out an album and frankly, it's none of my business. I can only go on what I'm given and this time around, it feels like something is missing. Beautifully said... :)
  23. Lianne
    Mine arrived this morning. I so want to like this, but I'm pretty underwhelmed, to be honest. I hope it grows on me. 'Reach for the Dead' is the best track by far; many others seem 'bitty' and underdeveloped to me, and I find the fact that they don't flow into each other only increases that sense of lack. 'Jacquard Causeway' is my least favourite one on the album and it left a pretty sour taste in my mouth for the rest. Perhaps I shouldn't have got too into the hype and the crazily positive responses I was seeing here and elsewhere, or re-listened to their back catalogue in preparation for this one (at the moment, to me, this album completely pales in comparison to the rest!) I also don't find it 'dark' (sorry, I don't like that word either, but can't think of another!) at all - after everything I read and after seeing all the imagery, I was hoping for something much darker, something more tense and moody and mysterious and cinematic and challenging. The only challenging aspect is how they decided to leave things quite minimal and how they've cut certain ideas short just as they get going! I'm not sure what they've been up to for the last 8 years (it doesn't sound like too many of those years was actually spent on this album to me), but I did enjoy following the pre-release antics and it was fun getting excited about BoC again. Getting back into their old work was a wonderful experience. I don't mean to be negative - but for those who haven't heard it yet, I hope you enjoy it! Don't expect it to be quite as bleak, deep or 'flowing' as many have made it out to be, though.
  24. Lianne
    You'll just have to listen to it and decide for yourself. There isn't a consensus on it, I mean with music taste being subjective and all. That's true. But I guess a track petering out before really developing into something new, or going into a new musical idea but cutting it short just before it 'gets going' - I guess it's subjective as to whether that's a bad or good thing, but a bit more objective in terms of what is going on with the music? What I mean is, if a track has 4 minutes of the same musical sounds repeating and then at the end, for 30 seconds, something new occurs, most people would be able to agree on that, even if some would say it's a stroke of genius what with how it leaves you wanting more and others would find it unsatisfying. :-) Thanks, that's good to hear. I'm looking forward to the little atmospheric interludes as much as I am the 'main' tracks, but it's great to hear that the main ones themselves 'go somewhere'.
  25. Lianne
    I'm getting really excited about hearing this now (have avoided hearing anything except 'Reach for the Dead'.) Just want to be prepared, though; I read in The Skinny that "although impeccably produced, much of Tomorrow's Harvest feels tentative in nature (understandable given how long BOC have been AWOL) with numerous tracks petering out before developing into anything particularly engaging." Is that true? I find those kinds of structural/development issues in tracks the hardest to deal with in some ways. A track can be flawed (to my ears) but if it at least developes towards something interesting and sounds 'finished', it'll be relatively easy to enjoy.
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