tl;dl
― the late great, Friday, 30 June 2023 01:38 (ten months ago) link
matttkkkk otm
― the late great, Friday, 30 June 2023 01:40 (ten months ago) link
personally I think it's all been downhill since the first AI comp for all of them and most music in general.
― dan selzer, Friday, 30 June 2023 02:51 (ten months ago) link
actually I agree with frogbs more, I just couldn't resist the quick grab
― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 30 June 2023 02:58 (ten months ago) link
matttkkkk offfftm
― the late great, Friday, 30 June 2023 03:39 (ten months ago) link
dang
― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 30 June 2023 04:48 (ten months ago) link
TBF, you could pick almost any four albums from Ae's catalogue and call it the greatest run in history.
Chiastic Slide - LP5 - EP7* - Confield is another one
*Yeah it's an album idgaf
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Friday, 30 June 2023 07:12 (ten months ago) link
Sign and Plus are the kinds of left turns and changeups I'd love to see from Richard. I feel he's got some wild and beautiful stuff packed away (can I fantasize about SAW III for a sec?) But I feel something is holding him back...
― octobeard, Friday, 30 June 2023 08:41 (ten months ago) link
OTM.
What drew me to his work all those years ago was the handbrake tunrs. You just didn't know what to expect from release to release, or even track to track. And Windowlicker did feel like the peak of his empirical phase, just hinting at going full-on pop but with B-sides representing his most experimental and most melodic sides.
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Friday, 30 June 2023 09:09 (ten months ago) link
And Windowlicker did feel like the peak of his empirical phase
that's just your experience, man
― ledge, Friday, 30 June 2023 09:12 (ten months ago) link
icwydt
― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 30 June 2023 10:41 (ten months ago) link
yeah I don’t really buy into this whole innovation narrative, I think he has still continued to produce excellent funky electronic music, analords and syro both rule
― brimstead, Friday, 30 June 2023 14:31 (ten months ago) link
TBF, you could pick almost any four albums from Ae's catalogue and call it the greatest run in history.Chiastic Slide - LP5 - EP7* - Confield is another one*Yeah it's an album idgaf
I mean, starting with Tri Repetae it's a continuous run of just one of the greatest albums of the genre after another, at least according to autechre fans like me.
― silverfish, Friday, 30 June 2023 14:32 (ten months ago) link
e.g. Their studio set-up or system varies from album to album but is a labyrinth of possibilities relying on self-written mathematical algorithms that induce their sounds and rhythms to behave in specific yet experimental ways after Autechre manipulate a massive range of parameters.that's AI, baby
that's AI, baby
I'd argue this is more jam band than AI
― silverfish, Friday, 30 June 2023 14:33 (ten months ago) link
funny enough I kinda think Tri Rep is one of their weakest which I think speaks to what an incredibly strong catalogue they have overall (though for me it's less the tunes and more just the way it sounds)
― frogbs, Friday, 30 June 2023 14:34 (ten months ago) link
anyway I think the thing with 90s Aphex is it had this real world connection that other groups (besides maybe BOC) didn't have. what really hooked me into his work was the use of actual recorded sounds, like he's just some bored middle schooler tapping on a coke can and thinking "you could make a dope track out of this". also his tunes generally had one main melody/idea so it was easy to remember what was what. and sometimes that main idea was something completely outside the world of electronic music which was really neat. like to me all 12 tracks on ICBYD are distinct, as are all 10 on RDJ. some are clearly better than others, some you wanna loop forever and others you wanna skip, whereas Syro to me is just 60 minutes of music
having said that I do really like the new stuff, think Syro is probably his best album overall, and Collapse is maybe the best sounding vinyl I own, so I'm cool with it. at the same time I think he could be doing a lot more, also think he doesn't really care so much and is cool just being a weird conspiracy dad who pops his head out once in a while
― frogbs, Friday, 30 June 2023 14:56 (ten months ago) link
^OTM re: distinction btw his '90s & new stuff generally
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Friday, 30 June 2023 15:17 (ten months ago) link
As someone with very little background in electronic music, I heard ICBYD and was immediately hooked, drawn into his world & aesthetic. There’s no way that would’ve happened if I had first heard, say, Analord or Syro (an album I gave numerous chances and finally sold back because it was just so boring to me, a formerly massive fan)
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Friday, 30 June 2023 15:20 (ten months ago) link
One thing to keep in mind with RDJ is that he has much more of a connection with dance music. He plays tracks by lots of underground producers in his live sets (which seem to be a mix of originals/live PA/djing new club music and classic jungle/breakcore), and it's become a bit of a thing to get included. Autechre have only become further distanced from dance music (which is fine).
I've spent a lot more time over the years with AE records and they mean more to me, RDJ is more about specific mind-blowing tracks for the most part. I do like that he's settled into a late-period thing of further exploring and refining his various things (ie breakbeats, old hardware synths with weird tunings, melodic electroacoustic shit, etc). I guess you could say the same thing about AE, but their algorithmic MAX/MSP world has always felt much more mysterious.
― Random Restaurateur (Jordan), Friday, 30 June 2023 15:36 (ten months ago) link
Computer Controlled Acoustic Instruments pt. 2 is a sick record btw (i love drukqs).
― Random Restaurateur (Jordan), Friday, 30 June 2023 15:40 (ten months ago) link
^^^
yes, by far my favourite of his late period (Syro-onward)
― silverfish, Friday, 30 June 2023 17:22 (ten months ago) link
wishing he'd gone more down the ventolin b-sides route but hey ho i love me a burbling fusion teutonic orientalism as much as the next guy
― massaman gai (front tea for two), Friday, 30 June 2023 20:27 (ten months ago) link
Flow Coma remix was I think the last holy shit moment for me.
I feel he's got some wild and beautiful stuff packed away (can I fantasize about SAW III for a sec?) But I feel something is holding him back...
I dunno if it's holding him back or just ... how long can your soul stay on fire?
― official representative of Roku's Basketshit in at least one alternate u (lukas), Friday, 30 June 2023 20:45 (ten months ago) link
there was lots of beautiful stuff in the soundcloud dump, if you compiled the best stuff 12 tracks from that it would be the best afx album ever
― brimstead, Friday, 30 June 2023 22:36 (ten months ago) link
the word stuff should not be therealso, changed my mind, prob still 2nd best compares to saw85-92
― brimstead, Friday, 30 June 2023 22:37 (ten months ago) link
flow coma remix but the other side (dj pierre i think?) is even better. also the windowlicker acid house cowbell remix, that was good stuff
syro and collapse ep are nice, cheetah was cool, but ultimately they leave me cold compared to, say, icbyd, hangable auto bulb, or rdj
― the late great, Friday, 30 June 2023 23:11 (ten months ago) link
nvm i got the sides mixed up! flow coma yeah
― the late great, Friday, 30 June 2023 23:24 (ten months ago) link
RDJ is underrated at this point. especially odd given that Aphex is more popular than I ever thought he'd be.
ICBYD was my introduction to him and to electronic music, so I can't see it clearly. The first three tracks will be played at my funeral.
― official representative of Roku's Basketshit in at least one alternate u (lukas), Friday, 30 June 2023 23:30 (ten months ago) link
― brimstead
cosign
― out-of-print LaserDisc edition (sleeve), Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:06 (ten months ago) link
really hope that stuff shows up as FLAC quality files on Bandcamp someday
― out-of-print LaserDisc edition (sleeve), Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:07 (ten months ago) link
some of them were released digitally as bonus tracks, not sure if they were mastered or anything tho:https://aphextwin.warp.net/release/71105-aphex-twin-i-care-because-you-do
― brimstead, Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:09 (ten months ago) link
Yeah Flow Coma remix was all time. Part of me feels like the rest of Analord and a lot of the work after was Richard trying to hit that mark again but failing.
RDJ + Come to Daddy + Windowlicker is the AFX "apex" imho. The variety, creativity, and beauty in those three releases is staggering compared to what came before and after. This period feels like a kaleidoscope of kaleidoscopes. On RDJ alone you have shit like 4, Fingerbib, Goon Gumpas, Girl/Boy and Beetles on the same record! Good lord (or should I say good analord)? The fact that Flim and Bucephalus Bouncing Ball are on the same release is incredible! I wish his work had this energy, excitement and enthusiasm. It's still great in spots but yeah.
There's tracks on Plus, Elseq, Oversteps and especially Exai that had my attention and immediately felt like all timers and creative statements in ways I haven't felt that about Richard since literally the Flow Coma track.
― octobeard, Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:14 (ten months ago) link
Also don't sleep on the Caustic Window LP, the one never properly released but leaked about a decade ago after a test pressing went up on discogs. 101 Rainbows is all time
― octobeard, Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:19 (ten months ago) link
idk if i’d call any aphex release “underrated”, seems like there’s lots of acclaim for his most minor works. this discussion seems related to a very brief discussion on on another thread about how most techno projects are really only vital for the first few releases (that’s obv at least equally related to a particular way of listening to techno type music)
i think of “underrated” idm as being like, early alec empire on mille plateux or something. does anybody still think about alec empire? no matter what afx does, he’s always on the radar for some reason
― the late great, Saturday, 1 July 2023 00:48 (ten months ago) link
Okay yeah underrated is the wrong word. I just feel like its relative prominence is out of whack. This isn't just another old man hating on Drukqs (it is.)
― official representative of Roku's Basketshit in at least one alternate u (lukas), Saturday, 1 July 2023 01:44 (ten months ago) link
ICBYD was such an amazing album to get on board with – it was at this perfect "midpoint" where you could dip back and discover all his early stuff, while at the same time experiencing in "real time" that incredible ramp-up which followed... that ideal scenario of being a big new fan of an artist right when they happen to be "in the pocket" and upping their game with each release.
― Bittern Storm Over My Hammy (morrisp), Saturday, 1 July 2023 01:53 (ten months ago) link
could you please do that???
― frogbs, Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:25 (ten months ago) link
just checked my playlist "AFX sound edit" is 59 songs. Down from the 248 I have in "AFX sound"
I have career-spanning playlist called AFX edit 4 which features 25 tracks from the soundcloud dump.
I have another playlist called AFX Edit Edit which only 5 songs from soundcloud. They are:
Sams CarDonkey Rhubarb RemixGerald RemixOrganBradley Echoes
yr mileage may vry
― dan selzer, Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:43 (ten months ago) link
these are some of my favorites, I’ll try to post a zip file of stuff Sunday (suzanne, 2tone, martin's car, sam's car, the donkey rhubarb remix, with my family, no cares, high hats tune....)― brimstead, Tuesday, June 9, 2015 11:13 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― brimstead, Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:44 (ten months ago) link
Re Alex empire, low on ice is still pretty cool. Carl crack was more talented tho, see black ark
― brimstead, Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:47 (ten months ago) link
doesnt have to be a zip, I got the whole dump so if you just post a list I can make a playlist
― frogbs, Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:47 (ten months ago) link
ICBYD was such an amazing album to get on board with (etc)^^
― official representative of Roku's Basketshit in at least one alternate u (lukas), Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:54 (ten months ago) link
xp frogs here's some of my compiled playlists - ignore my 3-digit track id #s at the beginning
"Ambient"061 11 early morning clissold.mp3107 4 red calx slo.mp3111 4 Red Calx.mp3140 th1 slo.mp3163 33 SAW II un stabbing interview.mp3164 9 un chopped f beginning SAWII un.mp3173 5 just fall asleep.mp3179 35 SAW II un road shimmer f.mp3
"Dance"011 SomewhereOTTGTBAG.mp3085 (vocoderdisco).mp3133 d15-8 ny groove2.mp3
"Pretty"041 19 ssnb.mp3051 11 donkey rhubarb remix.mp3052 18 with my family _.mp3053 1 nocares.mp3093 26 5 (demo).mp3096 7 cutting.mp3099 28 organ epic.mp3112 5 Girl Boy Dark Version.mp3131 37 last clissold maybe.mp3132 15 sekonda.mp3137 (watery big ez).mp3139 th1.mp3142 blue carpet.mp3156 cottage4 af 1.mp3157 4 acid organ.mp3158 18 mello punchy.mp3167 23 pianox.mp3183 1 Lmt.mp3
"Slow"005 suzanne.mp3007 20 pink floyd.mp3008 parking lot.mp3022 sams car.mp3024 10 bcr78.mp3045 14 07 b.mp3047 20 vtnm.mp3048 21 vtnm2.mp3054 7 ∂ƒ∆ rough mix.mp3055 2 ∂ƒx 126b.mp3060 71 1st bank trac.mp3062 12 space beat.mp3063 13 barbarella on microdots.mp3066 11 slo bird whistle peel sesh.mp3084 8 lush ambulance 2.mp3097 5 sline (jap flute energy rave).mp3098 35 japan.mp3108 7 lush slow blips.mp3109 19 slow early morning.mp3134 d15-10 dulcimer dub.mp3143 dsb.mp3144 hilo.mp3165 5 scorrier.mp3169 23 band pass beat slo.mp3174 7 dub cliker + 0hz.mp3188 3 Slothscrape.mp3
― out-of-print LaserDisc edition (sleeve), Saturday, 1 July 2023 03:58 (ten months ago) link
saw the current single, blackbox life recorder, in hmv, was £12 on cd and in my mind eps are still £4 so it's probably the first thing of his that i have deliberately not bought
but clicking around last night, his own website is selling digital copies £3 for AND they come with 5 additional tracks (4 remasters done by him and a new track)
https://aphextwin.warp.net/release/399837-aphex-twin-blackbox-life-recorder-21f-in-a-room7-f760
(god, that website is annoying)
― koogs, Friday, 25 August 2023 08:15 (eight months ago) link
Oh what? I can't even work out what I'm buying
― Stomp Jomperson (dog latin), Friday, 25 August 2023 09:00 (eight months ago) link
Yeah, I feel like for the full CD album price its a bit short. I was psyched to buy an Aphex Twin CD on release day though, haven't done that since.... Windowlicker? In all the complaints about the vinyl being the dominant physical format rn I have yet to hear anyone mention that both Come To Daddy and RDJ records are definitely truncated compared to the "accepted" CD/streaming versions (possibly a USA thing...)
― Reeves Gabrels' Funko Pop (majorairbro), Sunday, 27 August 2023 05:53 (eight months ago) link
Yeah it’s a real bummer since the vinyl often has more than enough room for them. Syro for instance is a 3xLP for an album that’s only an hour long and it doesn’t even include the bonus track. Ditto with the last 2 tracks on Collapse. I like this stuff but cmon I ain’t paying $29 for 14 minutes of music
― frogbs, Sunday, 27 August 2023 19:51 (eight months ago) link
Kind of ironic considering SAWII was truncated for CD
― Stoned Wheat Thing (morrisp), Sunday, 27 August 2023 19:53 (eight months ago) link
“Come to daddy” missing half of the songs (specially IZ-US which is my favorite song in there) is a bummer. RDJ vinyl album does seem to have the same 10 songs tho?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 27 August 2023 20:00 (eight months ago) link
when rdj album was released in the us, sire added the girl/boy song bsides to the end, it’s supposed to end with logon rock witch
― brimstead, Monday, 28 August 2023 00:07 (eight months ago) link