APHEX TWIN - SYRO

[jchgf]

So basically, you have to force yourself to listen to it multiple times to start to like it? Isn't that some kind of self-hypnosis, or the same trick top 40 radios play on their listeners?

 

(By the way, I like Syro and I find it intricate enough to reward multiple listenings, but I understand those who are underwhelmed by it, good for you if you've got better stuff to listen to.)

[may be rude]

there is nothing like this anywhere. being able to put together these songs is mind boggling.

[Soloman Tump]

Listened through twice now.

 

My verdict: its alright.

 

Still prefer My Love Is A Bulldozer as AOTY

[heyheyjack]

Hello everyone! You know how Richard talks about how Syro being his most accessible album? Is SAW Vol 1 not considered accessible?

[may be rude]

hi heyhey. get ready, about 30 people are going to tell you to read the rules because they think it's funny.

 

anyway yeah, good point, maybe richard just can't keep track of all his stuff. or maybe it was part of the marketing campain. they've been smudging truths if it helps garner interest (return after 13 years)

 

and reading the rules isn't a bad idea actually

Edited October 14, 2014 by very honest

[heyheyjack]

Shit. Thanks for the heads up. Will look up the rules.

[Herr Jan]

Hello everyone! You know how Richard talks about how Syro being his most accessible album? Is SAW Vol 1 not considered accessible?

Hey hey Jack. Welcome to watmm :)

 

Not only SAW 85-92, I'd say a lot of his Warp stuff is pretty accessible - it just completely depends on who you ask. Godfried Willem-Raes (the guy who builds his robots) says most of his stuff is just pop music while some people think everything by him is too far out and weird. Anyway, Syro is more accessible in a technical sense (song structure and vocals, etc.) and I think he mainly said that in contrast to Drukqs (his last huge album release which got really burnt for it's inaccessibility back then).

[heyheyjack]

Hey, Jan

 

It's peculiar. It occurred to me for all of two seconds that i'd listened to the early stuff so relentlessly over the past few years that I now fail to see any complexity in the tracks (not that there isn't nuance in abundance).

 

I guess it's kind of clear that what most journalists are doing when writing these articles adds up to no more than copy and paste.

[enki]

Wudn't it Richard that dubbed Syro 'accessible,' and weren't it in reference to the material he could potentially release?

[gtbean]

Wudn't it Richard that dubbed Syro 'accessible,' and weren't it in reference to the material he could potentially release?

 

That's how I took it.

[Herr Jan]

I guess it's kind of clear that what most journalists are doing when writing these articles adds up to no more than copy and paste.

Probably true in a lot of cases, but seeing how popular Aphex Twin was after Windowlicker and the mainstream attention Drukqs got, it isn't suprising that it would get low grades. The length of the album, the weird interludes, the complex tracks, etc. were stuff that a lot of journo's had trouble with (comparable with Exai now?). There was a chance he would be embraced by a huge following, but he completely went to other way and killed off a lot of followers with Drukqs, and shortly after even more with the Smojphace E.P. (I'll never forget when I picked up that for €14 the guy at the counter declared me crazy, plus all those angry write-ups on the web... good times). With Syro he seems ok with his position and tries to find it's way to the mainstream again.

 

So in the Aphex pattern, the next release should be a noisey experimental album (something with robots?)?

[heyheyjack]

They'll be a barrage of stuff as soon as he gets his head around the new massive update.

 

Positive.

[Herr Jan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On0j_jmAwX0&feature=youtu.be

edit: the discogs marketplace listings for the limited edition are messed up.

[AnalogueCreamPie]

After digesting it for a couple of weeks, my verdict is that Syro is better than good, but not amazing. Em... great??

[reapersquush]

I have one little gripe with a track on this album and I'm wondering if the live recording at Metz has messed with my perception of this song, but XMAS_EVET10 [120][thanaton3 mix] sounds overly compressed to me. Aesthetically it sounds in balance with the rest of the album, but I feel some of the ambience is lost in the compression. It's like the song can't 'breathe' like it's supposed to.

Edited October 14, 2014 by reapersquush

[Guest Wander]

The album is a bit on the compressed side in general, but doesn't really bother me too much. You might want to try listening a vinyl rip to see if it works better for you though. (assuming you're not already listening to it on vinyl)

Edited October 14, 2014 by Wander

[Guest dylanmcknd]

damn, this album was just what i wanted, a lot like tuss, which i think is his best stuff.

 

also, am i the only one who thinks the bassline in circlont6a at 3:21 to 3:28 sounds almost EXACTLY like the bassline on the syro track from 4:27 to 4:34?.

doesn't matter, they're both used in very different ways in their respected tracks, just interesting.

[purplegoat]

I have one little gripe with a track on this album and I'm wondering if the live recording at Metz has messed with my perception of this song, but XMAS_EVET10 [120][thanaton3 mix] sounds overly compressed to me. Aesthetically it sounds in balance with the rest of the album, but I feel some of the ambience is lost in the compression. It's like the song can't 'breathe' like it's supposed to.

 

I think that's the darkness and warmness I was referring to earlier. I think the speakers in the venue gave it more space. Also, put a visual EQ on it. It might have just been me but it looked like there was a notch taken out of the high frequencies.

[awepittance]

I have one little gripe with a track on this album and I'm wondering if the live recording at Metz has messed with my perception of this song, but XMAS_EVET10 [120][thanaton3 mix] sounds overly compressed to me. Aesthetically it sounds in balance with the rest of the album, but I feel some of the ambience is lost in the compression. It's like the song can't 'breathe' like it's supposed to.

listen to the vinyl track, it sounds noticeably less compressed, i didnt even notice the piano on the CD version when i first listened to it on the vinyl the transients from the piano notes are much more audible

[cern]

Where can I buy MARCHROMT30A edit 2b 96 [104.98] (Japan Syro bonus track) without being in Japan?

[phudoshin]

Anyone else giving the album a break after a few weeks of constant listening?

 

My break-music of choice is Pearl Jam.... been rocking out for a week and will for another few more before hitting "Syro" again big-time. I fucking haven't listened to PJ since college (late 90's) so am loving the first 5 albums and the newer shit too. Fucking is this what they call Dad-rock? Bring it!

[ferro4prez]

I can't believe how much better this album has gotten for me over the past few weeks. Definitely was in the underwhelmed camp off-the-hop because it didn't "shatter" everybody's conceptions of what music could be like his other releases, and seemed to be "more of the same", but that simply is not true. This is an incredibly special release that breaks new ground in every way; it's just hard to see that objectively when even pop music now incorporates face-melting sensory-overloading synth sounds that he helped pioneer 15 years ago. Because of the way this album was created (modular synths, other crazy gear) the amount of work these songs required are comparable to knitting a persian rug by hand. The detail is astounding.

 

I always forget that Drukqs probably took 100 listens to fully 'get' it, but for exactly the opposite reasons - Drukqs for wrapping your head around the complexity, and Syro for appreciating the subtlety.

 

My 2cents anyways.

=Ferro=

[olo]

 

My break-music of choice is Pearl Jam.... been rocking out for a week and will for another few more before hitting "Syro" again big-time. I fucking haven't listened to PJ since college (late 90's) so am loving the first 5 albums and the newer shit too. Fucking is this what they call Dad-rock? Bring it!

 

I'm praying the rosary for you phudoshin with as many old women I can find in my workplace

Edited October 15, 2014 by olo

[Lucas]

damn, this album was just what i wanted, a lot like tuss, which i think is his best stuff.

 

also, am i the only one who thinks the bassline in circlont6a at 3:21 to 3:28 sounds almost EXACTLY like the bassline on the syro track from 4:27 to 4:34?.

doesn't matter, they're both used in very different ways in their respected tracks, just interesting.

 

yeah I also wondered about that at the beginning when I still didn't digest all the tracks and couldn't differentiate them all. I was thinking "wait didn't I hear that melody in another track already?". I love this reference actually. The two tracks are very different but it makes them sound like cousins or something.

[Guest trananhhung]

I'm not able to properly listen to any other music since this was released. I probably listen to the album 6 times a day. It just gets better and better and better. Even that last junglish track before anastasia has revealed itself. I didn't like it at first.

Edited October 15, 2014 by trananhhung