XI year old Autechre Album Released: Exai (WARP234)

[auxien]

 

 

I was feeling surprisingly meh about a new Autechre album, and won't be hearing it until I can get a physical copy anyway, but now I dusted off Move Of Ten again and fuck, so stoked for this album.

why do you feel the need to listen to it on an physical media ? chances are it was created on a computer so audio files are its more original form. it's like waiting for some analogically recorded jazz album to appear in mp3s and ignore the original recording on a vinyl.

 

In a nutshell: I have this thing about not paying for files, and I try not to "steal" music anymore these days, that's really all it is.

nothing wrong with that at all.

 

also, it's awesome. if you haven't noticed yet in this thread....it's awesome. get your sunglasses raedy for when you get to recks on.

[syd syside]

Shot some underwater test footage yesterday and looked it over while listening to Exai. Thought I'd share a section that ended up looking kind of cool lol

 

Submersicon (Fleure - Autechre)

 

[vimeo]59341084[/vimeo]

Edited February 10, 2013 by compson

[xox]

 

I know a lot of people who wouldn't stand Autechre & Skrillex and the rest of the 'far out in unsoundland' acts.

d..d..did he just...

 

...put Ae & Skrklexxx in the same sentence?!

[rekosn]

 

I know a lot of people who wouldn't stand Autechre & Skrillex and the rest of the 'far out in unsoundland' acts.

d..d..did he just...

...called Ae an "act"...?

Edited February 10, 2013 by vganalog

[Guest Seginustemple]

Third run through - wasn't sure at first but Fluere is a stunning opener and seems to come at you faster than anything but Spl9, which is glorious. 2:50 - 3:00 of 1 1 is probably my favorite bit of the whole Exai right now

[Hugh Mughnus]

I wish I had something super intelligent to say or could give a full track by track review after my listening session yesterday but I have to admit, I was a bit blasted on the zooms and some phenylethylamines... I don't really have the technical knowledge of the equipment or techniques to explain myself fully...

 

I can definitely say that vekoS, Jatevee C, 1 1 is, and runrepik were massive highlights of the trip.

 

I had extremely strong visuals (especially closed eye from the 2C-I) and had some notable moments with the album. When vekoS hit the 1:51 mark, the percussion was forming columns and and the rest of the synthwork was melting in and out and in between the columns in grid patterns. Visualized a lot of pink and green and yellows; colours I would associate with acidity.

 

Jatevee C gave me warm feelings and I definitely felt like I was on another planet.

 

The last 2 minutes of prac-f simply did not sound like it came from our planet. With closed eyes I felt as if I was intercepting some sort of alien communication, I could not decipher their intentions.

 

Runrepik as the name suggests felt like a chase, like I was running from something. Massive waves of bass coming out of my subs washing over me quite strongly, made me feel claustrophobic (maybe like I was closed in, a jungle maybe?). Lots of deep green and brown visuals (closed and open eye).

 

Reckson felt like gangster mob hip hop from the future. Like a robotic al-capone was about to put a hit out on me for intercepting his e-juice or whatever the year 3094 equivalent is for Rum....

 

Bladelores was refreshing at the end of the 1st disc, though it was my least favourite. I felt like it was put there simply to cleanse my brain-ear-palette... "hey we can still make pretty noises"....

 

1 1 is... holy fuck. That is all.

 

I realize this is not insightful at all but this is only my first real experience with the album. Maybe I will make more sense of it the 234th time around. Best trip music for me since Music Is Rotted One Note (don't laugh)..

 

Cheers

Edited February 10, 2013 by StephenG

[sweepstakes]

 

The last 2 minutes of prac-f simply did not sound like it came from our planet.

flol

[priangle]

finally had a full listen at full volume on speakers with some extra bass.

 

...yeeeeeah :D

 

it's sad that there's no mind-controlled 3d visualizer yet developed. so we could all stream or visual perception of tracks into some .mp4 files and compare them :D

 

 

 

 

[Guest pixelives]

e- juice!

 

1 1 is basically the sound of psilocybin

[Lianne]

I wonder if we'll get a truly 'experimental' or challenging album from them again? Some of the first disc (tracks 1-3 especially) and spl9 are really dark and alien, but overall this one is seeming even more poppy than Oversteps in a way. Sure, that was softer and had a lot more melody, but the b-boy like, hip-hoppish, 'funky', super polished edge and the pretty straightforward beats (to me) on this one make it seem much more accessible than ever Oversteps, what with its more more unusual, 'stately', composed, soft sound.

[Hugh Mughnus]

e- juice!

 

1 1 is basically the sound of psilocybin

 

1 1 was græt!

[manmower]

But when you order the vinyl, you get the files anyway. And if you already paid for it, you wouldn't be stealing it.

 

And stop cutting.

 

OK, price for the CD + shipping from Bleep was fair enough this time that I went that route. Downloading now. Hope my CD doesn't arrive looking like a truck ran over it again.

[thehauntingsoul]

I wonder if we'll get a truly 'experimental' or challenging album from them again? Some of the first disc (tracks 1-3 especially) and spl9 are really dark and alien, but overall this one is seeming even more poppy than Oversteps in a way. Sure, that was softer and had a lot more melody, but the b-boy like, hip-hoppish, 'funky', super polished edge and the pretty straightforward beats (to me) on this one make it seem much more accessible than ever Oversteps, what with its more more unusual, 'stately', composed, soft sound.

 

I keep asking myself whether this is truly an accessible album or not. I've shown this album to tons of people, folks that tend to be pretty into electronic music although they have never really liked Autechre and this album does not seem to change any feelings there. Perhaps we're all just conditioned to expect this sort of stuff out of them and it's actually starting to sound normal to us.

 

Has anyone here showed someone who previously didn't enjoy Autechre's music and had them actually say hey that's not too bad? If so we can call this album more accessible. If not, it's still quite a challenging album. Didn't people say similar things about Quaristice when it was first launched? In retrospect it's still quite a challenging album although I seem to remember it jumped out at me for the most part as being pretty normal comparatively.

 

Sure we aren't getting Untilted levels of opaqueness here but I still think by most people's standards this is going to sound like "noise", or "random" or "oh my god turn it off" which is how I like my Ae.

Edited February 10, 2013 by thehauntingsoul

[Hugh Mughnus]

 

I wonder if we'll get a truly 'experimental' or challenging album from them again? Some of the first disc (tracks 1-3 especially) and spl9 are really dark and alien, but overall this one is seeming even more poppy than Oversteps in a way. Sure, that was softer and had a lot more melody, but the b-boy like, hip-hoppish, 'funky', super polished edge and the pretty straightforward beats (to me) on this one make it seem much more accessible than ever Oversteps, what with its more more unusual, 'stately', composed, soft sound.

 

Perhaps we're all just conditioned to expect this sort of stuff out of them and it's actually starting to sound normal to us.

 

I'm 99% sure this is it.

 

That's just a part of becoming an experienced listener. Ok; maybe Exai isn't SOUNDING as challenging to us as when we were first exposed to autechre. That doesn't mean in actuality it's any less challenging, absolutely. Just that it might be less challenging for those that know what to expect. It's a matter of perspective/relativity (like most things)..

 

I remember when I graduated from regular house to tech house and drum n bass. I thought shit this stuff is complex. Now I consider those to be "easy listening" lol.

Edited February 10, 2013 by StephenG

[Guest Roksen Creek]

I wonder if we'll get a truly 'experimental' or challenging album from them again? Some of the first disc (tracks 1-3 especially) and spl9 are really dark and alien, but overall this one is seeming even more poppy than Oversteps in a way. Sure, that was softer and had a lot more melody, but the b-boy like, hip-hoppish, 'funky', super polished edge and the pretty straightforward beats (to me) on this one make it seem much more accessible than ever Oversteps, what with its more more unusual, 'stately', composed, soft sound.

Not sure I agree. It seemed straightforward at first, but the more I listen the more complex it gets. There is a LOT of interplay that is not apparent at first. More so than the three so called difficult albums. The beats at the forefront are not as complex and thats why it seems more immediate, but those beats eventually meld into the other stuff to create something more impressive.

[Amen Lare]

Autechre was a challenge even for experienced listener, even for the fans of previous album. It changed only with Quaristice. The thing isn't about complexity, though, but certain ideas of what is music. On Exai we are still on familiar ground, but worked out different than before.

[TheTransitionary]

runrepik sounds derived from some of the Oversteps tour

[Hugh Mughnus]

Autechre was a challenge even for experienced listener, even for the fans of previous album. It changed only with Quaristice. The thing isn't about complexity, though, but certain ideas of what is music. On Exai we are still on familiar ground, but worked out different than before.

 

I can agree with that for sure.

 

I just meant that a certain degree of the challenge does seem to diminish as you get used to the artist or the genre and it's conventions.

[Amen Lare]

 

Autechre was a challenge even for experienced listener, even for the fans of previous album. It changed only with Quaristice. The thing isn't about complexity, though, but certain ideas of what is music. On Exai we are still on familiar ground, but worked out different than before.

 

I can agree with that for sure.

 

I just meant that a certain degree of the challenge does seem to diminish as you get used to the artist or the genre and it's conventions.

 

There is also an inverted situation on the artist's part - you can't go on pushing limits forever. What Autechre have done is already grandiose. Now it's time for something completely different in terms of evolution.

[SR4]

just started sitting down during a grading session with good speakers and listening....irlite is really cool methinks. and i love the straight up house pads on jatavee-c

[xox]

Guys, guys...my dear friends, I can't explain to you how i like Exai so far. Helping me so much on my path.

 

I remember how in some video interview they (i think it was Rob talking) regret for not being able to say to their influencers(???) how much they mean(t) to them. I know how they feel. ...ah, yes it's pathetic but why should i lie?

Edited February 10, 2013 by xox

[xox]

How do you pronounce vekoS? Like wackos? :)

[Hugh Mughnus]

How do you pronounce vekoS? Like wackos? :)

 

I thought it might be pronounced: "brain melting experience"

 

lol

[xox]

 

How do you pronounce vekoS? Like wackos? :)

 

I thought it might be pronounced: "brain melting experience"

 

lol

But it huddles our brains.

[elusive4]

shame irlite is about pefect except for trhat horrendously annoying instrument at 6'40'' and 3'10''. and rarely happens with them but ther's nothing like being wacked out of the tune when you hear something that puts the image in your head of someone playing a instrument (hitting buttons to initiate sounds or physically playing a keybaord) like those sounds at 6'40'' i cant get image out of my head of a person making those sounds (playing live) instead of it being naturalyl part of the track with no humans involved. totally kicks me out i hate it. breaks all concentration and immersion. i dont think ill ever be able to listenpast those sounds =`,`=