Autechre. NTS Residency. (_O_)

[Extralife]

 

 

None of the tracks seem as mind-bendingly complex as Exai, L-Event or (parts of) Elseq. Nor is any of it anywhere near as brutal, abrasive and uncompromising as the live shows (or again, parts of Elseq, I still find acdwn2 un-listenable). They all seem to have a pretty laid-back, easy to follow hip-hop groove, the overall sound is quite sparse. It's good background/working music that you can nod your head to.

no.

NNNNOOOOOOOOOO

Background music?

 

 

 

 

...no.

[Roo]

You can both be right. I think their music capably caters to a background dimension more readily nowadays, but that doesn't mean the music itself isn't endlessly rich. NTS is almost asking to be remixed for other purposes. Its not an either/or thing, and "background music" doesn't have to be treated as pejorative or total. Your grandma isn't about to come to an Autechre show, we're not talking Kind of Blue territory, but their music can be more sinuously incorporated for a range of purposes.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Roo

[ambermonk]

I'm not quite all the way thru Session 2 yet. Left off on e0 I think. But violvoic is like the belly of the fuckin beast. So much wicked shit going on this time around.

Is it just me though or are they using some of the same patches they did for Ae_Live? Because it seems like there are recurring sounds.

[Draft78]

Stpl  idie ... in the title comes after a comma, in the track comes as an unexpected appendix ... I suspect that we will hear again talk about Stpl Idie in the next sessions.

[thehauntingsoul]

turbile epic casual = the egg

[Draft78]

turbile epic casual = the egg

 

interesting ... anyway, so many levels in Tturble epic c, distant melodies, that are perceived vague. There will be a lot to discover over time, here

[sweepstakes]

 

the nts tracks are definitely less dense and sparser than anything on elseq and so those rhythmic shifts and textural variations end up sparser too.

I'm not sure you and I are hearing the same music, as I would say the exact opposite is true. (For most of NTS vs elseq, not necessarily every track)

Yeah this is richer in just about every way.

 

I will say that I kind of hope they're just about done with the Karpluss-Strong obsession. It's good fun, it sounds great, and they clearly love it and pull it off better than anyone, but it's the one huge "fuck you" that prevents normies from ever liking this stuff, lol.

Is it just me though or are they using some of the same patches they did for Ae_Live? Because it seems like there are recurring sounds.

Uh, yeah, definitely - patches, parameters, patterns, data, and then some I'm sure. They're also did the same with elseq, and they're also reusing from elseq here. Tons of mixing and matching of existing stuff, which turns it into new stuff. This reuse is nothing new*, it's just a lot more recognizable now, for various reasons I'm sure. 

 

You could easily look at this in a cynical way, but this is actually pretty cool to me - they're exposing both how their tastes have evolved and some insight into their workflow. Even the track titles are sampled/remixed from Elseq. 

 

*

 

 

You want to hear what I mean by the reuse, go listen through their remixes through the years and pick out samples from album tracks! Also Untilted -> Untilted tour -> Quaristice -> Quaristice Versions -> Quadrange -> Quaristice tour had a ton of reuse. For example chenc9 and IO definitely grew out of some patterns they'd been playing live since 2005. Their evolutionary (in the Pokemon sense) Elektron workflow was definitely an inspiration for their current rig. 

 

 

[dingformung]

 

 

the nts tracks are definitely less dense and sparser than anything on elseq and so those rhythmic shifts and textural variations end up sparser too.

I'm not sure you and I are hearing the same music, as I would say the exact opposite is true. (For most of NTS vs elseq, not necessarily every track)

Yeah this is richer in just about every way.

 

I will say that I kind of hope they're just about done with the Karpluss-Strong obsession. It's good fun, it sounds great, and they clearly love it and pull it off better than anyone, but it's the one huge "fuck you" that prevents normies from ever liking this stuff, lol.

Is it just me though or are they using some of the same patches they did for Ae_Live? Because it seems like there are recurring sounds.

Uh, yeah, definitely - patches, parameters, patterns, data, and then some I'm sure. They're also did the same with elseq, and they're also reusing from elseq here. Tons of mixing and matching of existing stuff, which turns it into new stuff. This reuse is nothing new*, it's just a lot more recognizable now, for various reasons I'm sure. 

 

You could easily look at this in a cynical way, but this is actually pretty cool to me - they're exposing both how their tastes have evolved and some insight into their workflow. Even the track titles are sampled/remixed from Elseq. 

 

*

 

 

You want to hear what I mean by the reuse, go listen through their remixes through the years and pick out samples from album tracks! Also Untilted -> Untilted tour -> Quaristice -> Quaristice Versions -> Quadrange -> Quaristice tour had a ton of reuse. For example chenc9 and IO definitely grew out of some patterns they'd been playing live since 2005. Their evolutionary (in the Pokemon sense) Elektron workflow was definitely an inspiration for their current rig. 

 

 

 

 

 You express it better than I could. This whole progress you can hear throughout the Autechre discography is just fascinating. Those soundscapes they create are special. If they make use of techniques they have used before it is just the continuation of this fascinating progress and I welcome it. Can't wait for the third session.

[jules]

nts is so much bigger than elseq. elseq is mostly very claustrophobic to me. I preferred 5 by a long shot and so far nts is 4 hours of that in an exploded view. i like this style way more. it also feels almost infinite somehow. like they could just keep cranking like this.

[Hk47]

nts is so much bigger than elseq. elseq is mostly very claustrophobic to me. I preferred 5 by a long shot and so far nts is 4 hours of that in an exploded view. i like this style way more. it also feels almost infinite somehow. like they could just keep cranking like this.

Alraedy raedy for NTS Sessions:;: Outtakes - Ren&Shempy PLZ!!

[Hugh Mughnus]

nts is so much bigger than elseq. elseq is mostly very claustrophobic to me. I preferred 5 by a long shot and so far nts is 4 hours of that in an exploded view. i like this style way more. it also feels almost infinite somehow. like they could just keep cranking like this.

 

Really? 15+ minutes of extremely similar variations per second within each track? It's almost the definition of boring. Like ffs after 4 minutes of the same little tweaks and twiddles you expect it to get on already and have some sort of progression.

 

So far I think xflood is the only track with enough going on to qualify it as Autechre. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Bulk VanderHooj

[jules]

 

nts is so much bigger than elseq. elseq is mostly very claustrophobic to me. I preferred 5 by a long shot and so far nts is 4 hours of that in an exploded view. i like this style way more. it also feels almost infinite somehow. like they could just keep cranking like this.

Really? 15+ minutes of extremely similar variations per second within each track? It's almost the definition of boring. Like ffs after 4 minutes of the same little tweaks and twiddles you expect it to get on already and have some sort of progression.

 

So far I think xflood is the only track with enough going on to qualify it as Autechre.

 

you're finding the nts sessions boring???

Edited April 15, 2018 by jules

[usagi]

 

dummy casual @3min 32sec is that the imessage sound effect?

 

totally. and this is a fuckin spooky track. sounds really evil to mine ears.

 

 

woke up this morning with a pressing need to listen to this.

[Hugh Mughnus]

you're finding the nts sessions boring???

 

Yeah man, with a few exceptions. Tbh session 2 blows session 1 out of the water. I'm just finding that each track kind of just settles and for 5ish+ minutes, it just sits there. I'm ADD I know, but tbh not enough happening in most of the tracks to keep me fixated. 

 

That said, fully respect what's happening on a technical level - I don't expect any other artist to be able to produce this output. IMO their concept or medium (live produced output based on their complex MAX/MSP programming) isn't doing service to their creative vision. They're constraining themselves with the process and the end product doesn't do them justice. 

 

They can do so much more (Exai and L-Event being a prime example IMO).

Edited April 15, 2018 by Bulk VanderHooj

[jules]

right on. to me this is amongst my fav stuff they've ever done. i can say that with confidence too even knowing session 2 is only a few days old. but hey, different strokes right?

[Hugh Mughnus]

right on. to me this is amongst my fav stuff they've ever done. i can say that with confidence too even knowing session 2 is only a few days old. but hey, different strokes right?

 

Oh absolutely, I'm not saying it's bad or anything. Just "different", and not what "I" love about Autechre. When I compare it to tracks like Tac Lacora and M39-Diffain, Rekson etc, the sessions don't hold a candle. 

 

Too comfortable in these long grooves. 

 

I have similar criticisms about most artists so I basically chalk it up to individual taste?

[jules]

yup. that's what I meant with different strokes (for different folks)

 

not sure how you translate that to Canadian :P

[Hk47]

diffent stokes fo diffent fokes, ey?

 

 

Oh fuck shoot me...

Edited April 15, 2018 by Hk47

[Hugh Mughnus]

diffent stokes fo diffent fokes, ey?

 

Yeh meng. Doesn't seem too alien a concept. 

 

Some people like getting shit on for their sexual giggles, after all. Not too hard to imagine some liking diff erectronic muziks. :^)

Edited April 15, 2018 by Bulk VanderHooj

[jules]

lol

[Draft78]

 

 

 

the nts tracks are definitely less dense and sparser than anything on elseq and so those rhythmic shifts and textural variations end up sparser too.

I'm not sure you and I are hearing the same music, as I would say the exact opposite is true. (For most of NTS vs elseq, not necessarily every track)

Yeah this is richer in just about every way.

 

I will say that I kind of hope they're just about done with the Karpluss-Strong obsession. It's good fun, it sounds great, and they clearly love it and pull it off better than anyone, but it's the one huge "fuck you" that prevents normies from ever liking this stuff, lol.

Is it just me though or are they using some of the same patches they did for Ae_Live? Because it seems like there are recurring sounds.

Uh, yeah, definitely - patches, parameters, patterns, data, and then some I'm sure. They're also did the same with elseq, and they're also reusing from elseq here. Tons of mixing and matching of existing stuff, which turns it into new stuff. This reuse is nothing new*, it's just a lot more recognizable now, for various reasons I'm sure. 

 

You could easily look at this in a cynical way, but this is actually pretty cool to me - they're exposing both how their tastes have evolved and some insight into their workflow. Even the track titles are sampled/remixed from Elseq. 

 

*

 

 

You want to hear what I mean by the reuse, go listen through their remixes through the years and pick out samples from album tracks! Also Untilted -> Untilted tour -> Quaristice -> Quaristice Versions -> Quadrange -> Quaristice tour had a ton of reuse. For example chenc9 and IO definitely grew out of some patterns they'd been playing live since 2005. Their evolutionary (in the Pokemon sense) Elektron workflow was definitely an inspiration for their current rig. 

 

 

 

 

 You express it better than I could. This whole progress you can hear throughout the Autechre discography is just fascinating. Those soundscapes they create are special. If they make use of techniques they have used before it is just the continuation of this fascinating progress and I welcome it. Can't wait for the third session.

 

 

I had the idea that it is incorrect to evaluate the two about the novelty of the sounds. Probably until Oversteps they have oriented their research on always new sounds and different techniques, while now they have found a new route to follow: after have defined a very specific timbric category, which distinguishes them like a trademark, now they focus on the development of a specific project that allows them to manipulate and transform that trademark in real time. Even the repetition of parts already published, upsetting and changing its connotations is part of the idea, is their current goal, like the jazzman who reproposes over the years the ideas of his repertoire, but in so new and surprising forms, to be an evolution in all respects. The innovation should be seen in these terms, not in the context of past research (always different sounds and meticulous composition).

 

I also feel like saying that 1) the beauty and richness of music should not necessarily be sought in its innovation, but rather in its evocative power 2) in these sessions there are also new and sublime sounds, even compared to the discography of the same Ae

[Hk47]

 

diffent stokes fo diffent fokes, ey?

Yeh meng. Doesn't seem too alien a concept.

 

Some people like getting shit on for their sexual giggles, after all. Not too hard to imagine some liking diff erectronic muziks. :^)

Whatever makes the gew in your brain splurt out.

=D

...

We should all feel very lucky if we're able to find something that makes our brains skurplat all over the place.

=D

AE-AE-AE!!!

=P

[sweepstakes]

I had the idea that it is incorrect to evaluate the two about the novelty of the sounds. Probably until Oversteps they have oriented their research on always new sounds and different techniques, while now they have found a new route to follow: after have defined a very specific timbric category, which distinguishes them like a trademark, now they focus on the development of a specific project that allows them to manipulate and transform that trademark in real time. Even the repetition of parts already published, upsetting and changing its connotations is part of the idea, is their current goal, like the jazzman who reproposes over the years the ideas of his repertoire, but in so new and surprising forms, to be an evolution in all respects. The innovation should be seen in these terms, not in the context of past research (always different sounds and meticulous composition).

Yeah I've had similar thoughts about this and you might be right. And, yeah, I think this new stuff is about different things. The mixing, panning, and pacing are so much more refined and delicate than anything they've done since probably Quaristice.

 

Even emotionally/aesthetically it feels like a sharp departure from the recent stuff, even if it's reusing a lot of the same material. Their music has been rich with complex emotions from early on, but here it feels like those emotions are less diffuse, more distinct and luridly juxtaposed, deliberate in almost a cinematic way. There was some of that on Exai with e.g. T ess xi so maybe they are consciously trying to zero in on that.

[Username]

If you go back through their extended discography (including gescom) you will see that revisiting ideas, sounds, and techniques is common in their work. There is a clear progression even in what seems like radical departures between releases.

 

So far to my ears this album, if we should even call it that, is like a culmination and exploration of everything they have ever done up to this point. There are elements as recent as onesix mixing it up with stuff reaching as far back as incunabula.

Edited April 15, 2018 by Username

[ignatius]

If you go back through their extended discography (including gescom) you will see that revisiting ideas, sounds, and techniques is common in their work. There is a clear progression even in what seems like radical departures between releases.

 

So far to my ears this album, if we should even call it that, is like a culmination and exploration of everything they have ever done up to this point. There are elements as recent as onesix mixing it up with stuff reaching as far back as incunabula.

 

 

pretty much. 

 

i've always thought the progression was a pretty obvious line. not that i think i'm tuned into the process but i think anyone who listens seriously can hear the things at work whatever that means.. 

 

shrug.