Autechre. NTS Residency. (_O_)

[playbynumbers]

 

 

yaaaaawn ffs man, it's just the same MaxMSP noodling as elseq and the live shows ... can I get some actually new Ae please

 

To me it sounds very different from elseq and ae_live somehow. I know that there are some paths that must be the same, some of the sounds sound familiar, but all in all the overall feel of nts session 1 is different than from elseq and ae_live

Definitely a more evolved version of the elseq stuff. Obviously tied in with AE_LIVE/Exai too, but to me this (so far, of course) is like elseq, but good.

 

 

 

 

 

yaaaaawn ffs man, it's just the same MaxMSP noodling as elseq and the live shows ... can I get some actually new Ae please

Agreed, this format of dropping large chunks of impromptu material doesn't seem to bring out the best in them, almost sounds like they're running on autopilot these days. It's alright, but doesn't intrigue the listener in on a journey of discovery in the same way a lot of their other stuff does. Quantity over quality/length over depth? Still, as always it'll be interesting to see what happens next

 

 

 

 

look, for sure NTS is better than elseq + Ae_live, but it's not that much better. 

 

everything after Exai (and arguably a bit of Exai) is just = Sean and Rob literally stopped using anything but MaxMSP as of 2011 (as confirmed by the Resident Advisor interview from a couple years ago). 

 

in other words, all of their music is now just half-assed jam sessions within the same limited palette of their own programming within MaxMSP, they're coasting along with the same sound at this point, doing $50 mp3 cashgrab bullshit.  maybe the problem really began with quaristice 'versions', so much garbage in there ... i guess that was when they decided to stop editing themselves (because people are willing to pay for studio outtakes and jam sessions, i guess?)

 

I've listened to these guys since 1998 and love their first ~8 albums so it's just a bummer to me honestly

[Blir]

I don't agree with you because I LOVE Elseq 1, 4 and 5 to death, but I completely see where you're coming from pbn.There isn't the same sense of progression or change in sound between NTS and Elseq like their stuff used to have. My hope is that there is still an album proper at some point, I can't see them continuing to be entertained by this format forever. Long tracks are great, but I like shorter more focused tracks too.

[playbynumbers]

I don't agree with you because I LOVE Elseq 1, 4 and 5 to death, but I completely see where you're coming from pbn.There isn't the same sense of progression or change in sound between NTS and Elseq like their stuff used to have. My hope is that there is still an album proper at some point, I can't see them continuing to be entertained by this format forever. Long tracks are great, but I like shorter more focused tracks too.

 

 

 

for sure, it's autechre!  so of course elseq is still not bad at all, I listen to half the tracks from elseq regularly (esp. 4 and 5).  autechre at their worst are still amazing, I just wish they would go back to the 'polished album' format.  there's just not enough depth to the jam session stuff imo

[Hugh Mughnus]

+1

[danshoebridge]

 

I don't agree with you because I LOVE Elseq 1, 4 and 5 to death, but I completely see where you're coming from pbn.There isn't the same sense of progression or change in sound between NTS and Elseq like their stuff used to have. My hope is that there is still an album proper at some point, I can't see them continuing to be entertained by this format forever. Long tracks are great, but I like shorter more focused tracks too.

 

 

for sure, it's autechre! so of course elseq is still not bad at all, I listen to half the tracks from elseq regularly (esp. 4 and 5). autechre at their worst are still amazing, I just wish they would go back to the 'polished album' format. there's just not enough depth to the jam session stuff imo

After elseq I was in the same boat as I found a lot of that pretty flabby, especially 2 and 3. I even made an album length version full of edits which I listen to now more than the originals. If they had been forced to edit those down to an album + EP as they did on earlier albums I think I don't think it would have been that much of a loss.

 

But...after this first 2 hours of NTS I'm coming round to the idea of these longer versions. This is certainly working for me a lot more anyway, and even on the 22 minute long track there's not as much that could be obviously cut without losing the flow. If they can keep this up for the next 6 hours I think the release will be pretty stunning overall.

 

Either way I don't see it as a cash grab - for better or worse this is their preferred way of presenting the latest batch of music, and they are playing it all FOR FREE (admittedly 128kbps) on NTS for anyone too skint to afford the more deluxe versions.

[hello spiral]

elseq 2 4life

[Guest]

see they would have to ‘go back’ tho

 

dunno, a different POV could be that these kind of hyper-anally edited micro-glitched dsp wankfest IDM albums.. well they were done.. they’re fun and mind blowing to discover etc.. SP’s Go Plastic, Aphex Twin stuff.. but they also have this kind of early 2000s bedroom producer smell, and it’s a bit of a funny smell. Maybe a bit of cum stain in it.

 

the bois have done super meticulously precision edited musics in the past, it’s basically what you would expect from them, if your expectations are based on what they did in the 2000s.. like 10-18 years ago.. it’s a long time lol!

 

What if sitting down and staring really hard at waveforms in a waveform timeline editor really isn’t a lot of fun anymore to the bois..?

 

the newer ae things are loose and more open, the quality is absolutely there but it’s different from the past. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[goodbyetheband]

I am liking the less reverby, 'drier' sound of this musics more than some of their recent material (as great as that was), and find many of the tones to be a very cool development of sounds from the last batch of releases. Most of this first set seems not as densely layered as the Elseq material, however; it's a more minimal approach...

 

I am hoping for some of the later sessions to be weirder and more mind-bending, like the feeling I got when I heard Autechre in the early days and felt like I didn't know what the heck was happening. I put on 'Confield' again today for the first time in ages, and it struck me how warm and mysterious it sounded after all the new stuff. The mastering seemed totally different. I guess it was a different period and different process. The new stuff is still banging, thrilling, really interesting, however.....Like the best classiest, most imaginative dance music ever.

 

Anyway - every track on this first session is really great, except I can't get into the second one yet.

I'm hoping for some more mind-bending stuff later on, and I also can't really get into bqbqbq. It's like the intro of IO for 11 minutes: very very tonal and too repetitive.

 

Apparently Confield was also done with some generative processes in Max MSP? I know Draft was sequenced by hand as a contrast because they wanted to take a different approach. Confield sounds totally different from these tracks and elseq's.

 

I do enjoy these tracks but they are a bit straightforward and kind of repetitive for their length for me.

Edited April 10, 2018 by lastrushup10

[misc]

Sad to say I'm really not feeling this one. The exai, AE_LIVE, elseq progression is probably my favourite stuff they've ever done, so I'm more than happy to hear further developments in this kind of sound, but this one just feels a bit flat. Seemed like they were moving into a more and more weird, abstract, alien sound which I absolutely love, and the onesix tour sounded even more so. Like all the sounds felt so alive with a ton of character, and everything was sequenced to sound so natural, like you were listening to the sounds of some alien world. I dunno this probably sounds dumb, I'm just struggling to put it into words. Basically this stuff just sounds like some tracks made in a computer, which is of course what it is, but it's lost that transportive element to me. Everything is just a bit straight and empty.

 

Obviously it's not bad, it's just not the kind of thing I was hoping for after the progression of the past few years. Glad to see so many people are loving it though and will obviously keep listening in the hope that it might grow on me.

Edited April 10, 2018 by misc

[paulleonelectron]

It's premature but I am digging the first track very very much. Organic, crunchy, loose...i like this side of their work, there is room to breathe and time to let the funk work its way in...TG for hard copies cuz i never would have caught all the sessions. Here goes my next paycheck...gladly...thx ae <3

[jules]

Take out bbq and session 1 is an A+ for me.

[dingformung]

 

 

 

yaaaaawn ffs man, it's just the same MaxMSP noodling as elseq and the live shows ... can I get some actually new Ae please

 

To me it sounds very different from elseq and ae_live somehow. I know that there are some paths that must be the same, some of the sounds sound familiar, but all in all the overall feel of nts session 1 is different than from elseq and ae_live

Definitely a more evolved version of the elseq stuff. Obviously tied in with AE_LIVE/Exai too, but to me this (so far, of course) is like elseq, but good.

 

 

 

 

 

yaaaaawn ffs man, it's just the same MaxMSP noodling as elseq and the live shows ... can I get some actually new Ae please

Agreed, this format of dropping large chunks of impromptu material doesn't seem to bring out the best in them, almost sounds like they're running on autopilot these days. It's alright, but doesn't intrigue the listener in on a journey of discovery in the same way a lot of their other stuff does. Quantity over quality/length over depth? Still, as always it'll be interesting to see what happens next

 

 

 

 

look, for sure NTS is better than elseq + Ae_live, but it's not that much better. 

 

everything after Exai (and arguably a bit of Exai) is just = Sean and Rob literally stopped using anything but MaxMSP as of 2011 (as confirmed by the Resident Advisor interview from a couple years ago). 

 

in other words, all of their music is now just half-assed jam sessions within the same limited palette of their own programming within MaxMSP, they're coasting along with the same sound at this point, doing $50 mp3 cashgrab bullshit.  maybe the problem really began with quaristice 'versions', so much garbage in there ... i guess that was when they decided to stop editing themselves (because people are willing to pay for studio outtakes and jam sessions, i guess?)

 

I've listened to these guys since 1998 and love their first ~8 albums so it's just a bummer to me honestly

 

 

 Why do you think they stopped editing themselves? Doesn't "elseq" probably mean "edited live sequences"? I'm sure that they ARE able to go back and edit what they "jammed" live. Tho it's not really a jam as there was a long programming process beforehand.

[NorthernFusion]

They can do no wrong tbh, I'll eat up anything they release.

[futureimage]

Re. the bqbqbq upside down thing, try listening to the side channel / stereo difference from the WAVs. Takes the drums out completely.

[hello spiral]

or just, ya know, trying goddamn listening to it. 

[Hugh Mughnus]

edit: @futureimage

 

Actually turn your speakers upside down tbqh is how it should be done. 

 

 

(also welcome back I don't think I've seen you post for almost 6 months? :( still making tunes I hope....)

Edited April 10, 2018 by Bulk VanderHooj

[Roo]

see they would have to ‘go back’ tho

 

dunno, a different POV could be that these kind of hyper-anally edited micro-glitched dsp wankfest IDM albums.. well they were done.. they’re fun and mind blowing to discover etc.. SP’s Go Plastic, Aphex Twin stuff.. but they also have this kind of early 2000s bedroom producer smell, and it’s a bit of a funny smell. Maybe a bit of cum stain in it.

 

the bois have done super meticulously precision edited musics in the past, it’s basically what you would expect from them, if your expectations are based on what they did in the 2000s.. like 10-18 years ago.. it’s a long time lol!

 

What if sitting down and staring really hard at waveforms in a waveform timeline editor really isn’t a lot of fun anymore to the bois..?

 

the newer ae things are loose and more open, the quality is absolutely there but it’s different from the past. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Basically the same opinion. I still adore the older stuff, but it does have that quaint craft feel to it in the wake of Elseq (even Confield now feels like a pop edit).

 

I can understand the complaints some are having, but long-time fans should really just revel in the optional difference this adds to their discography. Autechre have long been an artist universe to just lose yourself in, and these jammier long plays offer abundant alternative autechre for when the ye old ae-lp break sets in. These releases also harken back to their roots, there is a giddy feeling of the boys doing what they've always wanted to do, and now being enabled to do so.

 

Elseq 1 was a stunning release, and NTS1 is as strong as anything else from Elseq. Exai doesn't appear in danger as their best work of the decade, but they're still unleashing lots of great stuff, a veritable ecosystem to keep you busy forever.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Roo

[playbynumbers]

see they would have to ‘go back’ tho

 

dunno, a different POV could be that these kind of hyper-anally edited micro-glitched dsp wankfest IDM albums.. well they were done.. they’re fun and mind blowing to discover etc.. SP’s Go Plastic, Aphex Twin stuff.. but they also have this kind of early 2000s bedroom producer smell, and it’s a bit of a funny smell. Maybe a bit of cum stain in it.

 

the bois have done super meticulously precision edited musics in the past, it’s basically what you would expect from them, if your expectations are based on what they did in the 2000s.. like 10-18 years ago.. it’s a long time lol!

 

What if sitting down and staring really hard at waveforms in a waveform timeline editor really isn’t a lot of fun anymore to the bois..?

 

the newer ae things are loose and more open, the quality is absolutely there but it’s different from the past. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

 

somehow literally 99% of other electronic musicians manage to release polished <80min collections of music ... ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Why do you think they stopped editing themselves? Doesn't "elseq" probably mean "edited live sequences"? I'm sure that they ARE able to go back and edit what they "jammed" live. Tho it's not really a jam as there was a long programming process beforehand.

 

 

 

slightly cleaning up live jams does not = painstakingly crafted music, which is what we had from 1993 to ~2012. 

 

when i play a random 30-second selection of anything from exai / elseq / ae_live / nts, there's just not enough difference, the sonic 'playground' is way too similar ... i.e., as i said, they're now enslaved to whatever weird semi-AI they've written in MaxMSP, such that they literally stopped buying hardware and don't make music outside of MaxMSP now.  

 

i mean, in general, i was intrigued by elseq and i think it was an interesting idea to edit live jams and release a massive mp3 album; not a bad idea, and the tracks are pretty good.  but they're literally just doing "elseq two: electric boogaloo" at this point, like, here's eight more hours of the same effing thing (obviously some differences but meh)

[Roo]

And what's with all this bqbqbq bullying? A very pretty, intricate, resilient little stunner which will age well. 11 minutes is also right in the sweet spot.

Edited April 10, 2018 by Roo

[auxien]

if the NTS stuff is too long for you here u go

 

https://youtu.be/TX5q4882Hmo

[jaderpansen]

somehow the current discussion reminds me alot of quaristice days.

 

wanna hold judgement til the rest of NTS sessions is revealed but yeah no, session 1 doesn't feel immediately as next level as elseq did to me. not sure if shortening the tracks + more "mousin it" would change that tho. i still think it's a more than worthy addition to their oevre. yeah we sure became adjusted to the palette by now but i really felt they took it in fresh directions in the onesix set, not much left of it here tho, maybe on some of the following? anyway: good times, still excited as fuck, fanboi for lyfe blah etc!

[Hawley Smoot Tariff]

They can do no wrong tbh, I'll eat up anything they release.

I'm glad someone in here has maintained their sanity

[Extralife]

 

They can do no wrong tbh, I'll eat up anything they release.

I'm glad someone in here has maintained their sanity

This is what happens during a new Autechre release. Lot of love, lot of letdown, lot of love/letdown.

Edited April 11, 2018 by Extralife

[markedone]

 

...

the newer ae things are loose and more open, the quality is absolutely there but it’s different from the past. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

somehow literally 99% of other electronic musicians manage to release polished <80min collections of music ... ???

 

I'd presume this is because their influences (unconcious or otherwise) for this material are not 99% of electronic music producers.  Just a random sampling of names from the solid steel mix for example, Bernard Parmegiani, Peter Rehberg, Mark Fell, Asmus Tietchens.  Its not contemporary pop music..

 

 

 

 

 

 Why do you think they stopped editing themselves? Doesn't "elseq" probably mean "edited live sequences"? I'm sure that they ARE able to go back and edit what they "jammed" live. Tho it's not really a jam as there was a long programming process beforehand.

 

slightly cleaning up live jams does not = painstakingly crafted music, which is what we had from 1993 to ~2012. 

 

when i play a random 30-second selection of anything from exai / elseq / ae_live / nts, there's just not enough difference, the sonic 'playground' is way too similar ... i.e., as i said, they're now enslaved to whatever weird semi-AI they've written in MaxMSP, such that they literally stopped buying hardware and don't make music outside of MaxMSP now.  

 

i mean, in general, i was intrigued by elseq and i think it was an interesting idea to edit live jams and release a massive mp3 album; not a bad idea, and the tracks are pretty good.  but they're literally just doing "elseq two: electric boogaloo" at this point, like, here's eight more hours of the same effing thing (obviously some differences but meh)

Not sure where you are get the impression its not edited.  Length and repetition can be used to effect, they don't equate laziness.

 

If you're skipping to a random 30 second selection of any of their music, including Confield, you might get the impression that "its all garbage noise", "i miss when they wrote real music" etc

Edited April 11, 2018 by Marked x 0ne

[dingformung]

 

 

 

 

 Why do you think they stopped editing themselves? Doesn't "elseq" probably mean "edited live sequences"? I'm sure that they ARE able to go back and edit what they "jammed" live. Tho it's not really a jam as there was a long programming process beforehand.

 

 

 

slightly cleaning up live jams does not = painstakingly crafted music, which is what we had from 1993 to ~2012. 

 

when i play a random 30-second selection of anything from exai / elseq / ae_live / nts, there's just not enough difference, the sonic 'playground' is way too similar ... i.e., as i said, they're now enslaved to whatever weird semi-AI they've written in MaxMSP, such that they literally stopped buying hardware and don't make music outside of MaxMSP now.  

 

i mean, in general, i was intrigued by elseq and i think it was an interesting idea to edit live jams and release a massive mp3 album; not a bad idea, and the tracks are pretty good.  but they're literally just doing "elseq two: electric boogaloo" at this point, like, here's eight more hours of the same effing thing (obviously some differences but meh)

 

 

I think it still is painstakingly crafted, maybe even more than before. Everything they do happens within parameters they set, every detail is exactly how they programmed it. Sean says:

 

 

With this kind of algorithmic music, because the algorithms are made by people, it is people music! You get that thing of, "Eww, it's not human!" But that's so far off how I think of it. I think of it as being more human, because there's all these decisions in there, and they're human decisions. They're what people chose to do.

 

 Generating the music using their custom code is actually more expressive than placing every single sound by hand I believe.

 

 

 

Here's a link to their elseq interview in case anyone wants to read it again: https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2756