From -wheeler- Sent Mon, May 18th 1998, 23:53
Autechre - (what is WARPLP66P called?) I have no track names for this (are there any?). The trademark icy soundscape and crunchy beats can still be found, but there is also something more; a sense of warmth. This is still very much an Autechre album with it's deceptive tricks with the rhythm, shifting subtlety and crispy static. It sounds (as I realise others have remarked) more like the tracks off Cichli Suite than Chiastic Slide. One of my favourite tracks (at the moment) is track 3 which has a vaguely up-tempo hip-hopish beat. Much of the feeling and sound remind me of Draun Quarter from the Envane release but with less meloncholy. About 3/4 in, the rhythm gradually slows to half-tempo and then the gaps are filled with a stuttering chirping to revive the original tempo. A very impressive effect reduced to reletive crap by my inadequate descriptive ability. The closer, track 11 is genius. Beautiful and majestic. The intricacy is exemplified with clattering synth (sounding like the notes are bouncing with declining momentum as used by Aphex on Bucephalus Bouncing Ball - must be some new clever software trick or something) building a framework of sound amidst which a new line emerges to bring into focus a rhythm previously unthought of. The piece as a whole is more accessible than Chiastic Slide and will probably receive a greater reception, all-round. The rhythms, though still unusual at times are a little more 'groovy' (there's a great track in 7/8 time signiature) and the melody will certainly appeal - track 10 is almost pop by Autechre standards! BTW - that means it doesn't sound like pop at all). The continual changing and unfolding of each track is mimicked on a macro scale by the progression of sound on each album: always many of the elements of the previous but mutated and reformed to serve a different purpose and shed a different light. Not sure what this pseudo clever arse means but it reads well enough. In summary, this is very good indeed. Could be their best yet but you understand how difficult a decision that is particularly considering that I only received this 4 days ago. Nick