AUTECHRE - Quaristice

Barcode panned Brown and Boothe’s last expedition in IDM (Untilted), and was roundly email barracked by Autechre’s nerdy followers - so it's time to put our crash helmets back on as Autechre return with the charmingly titled Quaristice. Thankfully, the opening Altibzz immediately proves that there's a semblance of flesh and blood pumping beyond the heart of Autechre’s monotone machine, it’s so lovely – so warm, so fuzzy, so melodic. Could we have 19 more please? My hopes were up, but Autechre said "no".

The Plc reverts to the grizzled, schizoid Autechre of old, full of chattering mechanics and quacking daftness. In all fairness, Quaristice isn’t nearly as dreary as Autechre’s previous album, Untilted. Because the album is built upon a premise of electronic jamming sessions, every now and then Autechre stumble upon an idea and realise its potential. The shrill, technoid Perlence attacks your sense like a brickbat with a rusty nail protruding from it, Simmmm’s chiming circuitry breathes melody and expression with erratic glee before cluster-fucking itself into an early grave. Tankakern sounds like warm thunder blowing through a steel factory, and Rale kicks arse with its bottom end synths and lifeless, foreboding gaze. There’s some gem stones in them there hills, you just got to find them.

In truth, I prefer the format of Quaristice to Autechre’s usually more journeying albums – variety is the spice of life as they say, so I’m sure in another year I’ll have picked a bit more meat off this mordant carcass of found sounds. However, dare I say it, but in 2008 Autechre are beginning to sound almost irrelevant. Others have stolen their template, added fire and brimstone, humour and joy. Little of that is resident here.

IDM is slowly but surely glitching its way into popular culture, whilst Brown and Booth remain outsiders - disturbingly set in their ways and seemingly wallowing in self-importance. Can they do anything different? Do we have the right to demand it, and has technique-based electronic music hit an impasse? Big questions, Autechre are giving us no answers.



	AUTECHRE - Quaristice
	6.5
	Warp Records ~ WARPCD333 ~ 3rd March 2008
	Barcode panned Brown and Boothe’s last expedition in IDM (Untilted), and was roundly email barracked by Autechre’s nerdy followers - so it's time to put our crash helmets back on as Autechre return with the charmingly titled Quaristice. Thankfully, the opening Altibzz immediately proves that there's a semblance of flesh and blood pumping beyond the heart of Autechre’s monotone machine, it’s so lovely – so warm, so fuzzy, so melodic. Could we have 19 more please? My hopes were up, but Autechre said "no". The Plc reverts to the grizzled, schizoid Autechre of old, full of chattering mechanics and quacking daftness. In all fairness, Quaristice isn’t nearly as dreary as Autechre’s previous album, Untilted. Because the album is built upon a premise of electronic jamming sessions, every now and then Autechre stumble upon an idea and realise its potential. The shrill, technoid Perlence attacks your sense like a brickbat with a rusty nail protruding from it, Simmmm’s chiming circuitry breathes melody and expression with erratic glee before cluster-fucking itself into an early grave. Tankakern sounds like warm thunder blowing through a steel factory, and Rale kicks arse with its bottom end synths and lifeless, foreboding gaze. There’s some gem stones in them there hills, you just got to find them. In truth, I prefer the format of Quaristice to Autechre’s usually more journeying albums – variety is the spice of life as they say, so I’m sure in another year I’ll have picked a bit more meat off this mordant carcass of found sounds. However, dare I say it, but in 2008 Autechre are beginning to sound almost irrelevant. Others have stolen their template, added fire and brimstone, humour and joy. Little of that is resident here. IDM is slowly but surely glitching its way into popular culture, whilst Brown and Booth remain outsiders - disturbingly set in their ways and seemingly wallowing in self-importance. Can they do anything different? Do we have the right to demand it, and has technique-based electronic music hit an impasse? Big questions, Autechre are giving us no answers.