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Autechre

I have a feeling there's going to be a price on my head after saying this, but I've always felt that Autechre are to IDM, what Dream Theater are to metal. Not that Sean Booth and Rob Brown are technically skilled at playing their gear, but these producers have come up with a sound so complex and at times austere, I get the feeling that they've always preferred complexity over quality. No bullets flying by my head? Mm? Better look outside my window. Uh, no, everything seems fine!

Don't get me wrong though, I do enjoy my fair share of complex musical arrangements, but without a semblance of warmth or beauty, I tend to get annoyed and drift off somewhere else. Thankfully, Autechre don't always sound this distant. Especially with the older albums, the structure was slightly more accessible and gave way to some of their best works (including Tri Repetae++ and Amber). As time went by, each album became more and more elaborate and difficult. Steady beats became arrhythmic and ever changing. It was enough to alienate many of their fans. I remember asking a friend of mine what he thought of Draft 7.30 when it had just come out and all that he could say was "it's a more complex version of their last album". Somehow I tend to agree with this statement. The duo seem to be expanding on the same sound over and over again, from album to album, taking what they already can do and digging deeper into it's possibilities, like a musical mise en abime. Albums sometimes give off an academic vibe, as if it these sounds were studied instead of felt. I can't complain though, this often gives way to absolutely astounding results, but it can also sometimes leave some people out in the cold.

Of all the biggest names in the electronica scene, Autechre, as you've probably guessed it by now, are not the ones I visit the most often. Not that I do not enjoy listening to them, but I often have to be in the right frame of mind to sit down and pay attention. The details in their sound don't jump immediately to my ear as with other artists. On the more complex albums, this is an even harder task, but when I do sit down to listen, the challenge is always quite rewarding. Is it any wonder why they always play live without the lights on, in a minimal setting. It's the only way to truly hear everything they have to offer. Flashing lights and colorful film projections would only deter us from really listening to the music's intricacies.

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