Autechre - New album in 2013 "Exai".... This is the most exciting album and music in Electro-ambient or Electronica genre I heard in last 12 years. Comparable to Autechre's best albums like Incunabula in 1993 or their famous Anti EP from 1994. In fact "Exai" might be the very best what Rob Brown and Sean Booth from Manchester ever composed.
After hearing the first track "Fleure" which put me deep into my seat and volume pumped up - I knew that this is going to be good. Hyper industrial sound with original breaks and harmony in the end - impossible to describe by words. Second feature "Irlite - (get 0)" is even more original with deep minimalistic intro and sounds which were never composed with such a sophisticated scheme.
Than the album is just flowing - taking you away from everyday reality completely - individual tracks are becoming parts of the higher self "Exai" master piece and same like with the best book you need to keep going until it ends.
This is not music for everybody, Electronica is still after many years rarity for selected few and Autechre and their raw uncompromising sound is on the tip of the glacier.
So if you hear this kind of music for a first time it is not TOP 40 tune for sure. One must learn to appreciate such a strong nonconforming expressions.
Exai is scheduled to be published as hard copy on 4-5 March 2013 and Downloadable version since 7 of February as their Eleventh album.
The album is 2 hours and 32 seconds long so it is published as Double CD and as 4 x heavyweight 180gram vinyl. Both 2CD and 4Pack Vinyl include "instant download" of MP4 - very convenient for DJs.
I cannot wait to present this album and many of its tracks during my live DJ sets and it will be very hard to select any other track to follow Exai during the session. Except maybe other Autechre's treasures from previous albums and Eps.
Listening Exai could be compared to mystical experience and they Autechre can be proud to push boundaries of Elecronic music far ahead after their long existence. They are composing almost 26 years since they formed in 1987 and I have to admit I didn't expected such a success in 2013.
Deep base and complicated reverb sounds flows unstoppable and fully overwhelm the participants in its own magical world reveling harmonious understanding to their hidden melodies. I wouldn't use word "Industrial" - Exai is much more than that marriage of pure digital form with warm analog flavors coming at most surprising moments. Album can only be appreciated while listening as a whole - skipping through would result in confused experience.
Using graphic visualization by any popular audio players like "Winamp" can increase the experience. I am sure that lounge or good club will be also good choice.
The deep and sharp drums are echoing as smoothly as skipping rocks over the water... album is still evolving and what is incredible last few tracks are making better it better and better. Number 16 "Recks On" is one of the albums many highlights. You can feel the music grow and evolve and each time in its own original way resulting in goosebumps after the eight minutes. Reminding sound of Boards of Canada but being original as well.
And yes Autechre showed their sense for the strong melodies in Exai. Last track "YJY UX" is melodic hard base flowing feature coming deep under your skin.
I cannot wait until Autechre will post their 2013 tour dates and see them live. I am not sure if they will have any live performances but this new album is definitely worth it.
Since I met Autechre in person in Vienna in 1996 they did substantial progress and stayed totally themselves in the same time - no compromise! Creating music for sake of best experience and music itself is their virtue.
Word "Exiting" is here getting new meaning and comes in to simple - "Exai"
https://bleep.com/release/41081-autechre-exai
Peter Flynn Niznansky
Vancouver
14 February 2013
