It's hard to believe that Sean Booth and Rob Brown have been experimenting with sound for over 16 years now, ever since their first release, Incunabula, on Warp Records. It is perhaps their unique programming approach to analog synths, custom Max/MSP patches, micro granular effects, and mathematical rhythms, that pushed the envelope of sound exploration to the common studio techniques of today. Can the UK duo continue and reinvent the sound? I'm on my fifth listen of Quaristice, Autechre's 9th album, and the definitive answer is: yes. The twenty tracks on a digital release which I snatched from bleep (including exclusive artwork for each track!), maintain the indisputably unique Autechre sound. The beats are still chopped, the sound waves decomposed, and the structure erratically twisted. But unlike Autechre's previous LP, Untilted, this 2008 release is warmer, less noisier, and at times even melodic (there are even strings buried deep in one of the tracks). The genre starts to glide closer to abstract and minimal ambient, with an occasional glitchy quality of other worldliness. If by some miracle this is your first Autechre experience, brace yourself for a unique and unforgettable experience, if you can hold on. For the rest of us, it's just a necessity for our complete anthology. Too bad that the special, limited to 1000 copies edition, with an additional CD and a photo-etched steel casing sold out within the first 12 hours of announcement.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

This may not be the norm, but I found Quaristice instantly engaging, unlike Confield, LP5, Untilted, etc. It is varied, moving, and sophisticated. Yes, it is more melodic and thus will be likened as a step back toward Incunabula days, but I think this album is actually quite progressive. Autechre has made a name for themselves by being one step ahead, I think they've just taken a leap.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

An Autechre release always seems to avoid any of our expectations. As the duo has progressed since LP5, each release has proved exponentially more difficult upon first listens than the last. And to their credit, I believe this has led the group to stay relevant in a genre where the product is often instantly dated by fresh technology. However, Autechre seem to have taken a step back after exhaustive and inventive touring to refine their sound rather than push it to further realms of the abstract. I do not mean to say that in taking a step back they have regressed, rather the opposite. This is a fantastic album and I may even hear some more front and center melodies, something they seem to have shied away from, or at least subdued.

-testspecimen

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

At the beginning, I was not really convinced by these 2-3 minutes tracks, although this is after a lot of listens that you might figure that the album flows perfectly. Reviews will badly judge Quaristice by the first listen, nevertheless it won't prevent Autechre fans from enjoying the album. I gave the album a lot of listens so far and I think Autechre made an excellent job there. It was worth waiting 3 years, believe me.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Definitely more more easier and friendly to the ears than the previous few releases!! But i'd agree with the reviewer that it's probably going to take several months (years??) of repeated listens before the dust settles on this one.

-Twoism2

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0