Autechre vs. Aphex Twin

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Autechre by far. Everything but their first few album has aged amazingly well, which is remarkable for electronic music. Confield sounds as fresh to me now as it did in 2001.
 
I was a big fan of the stuff when I was younger, and yeah, I've come around to the realization that the term is pretty terrible.

"Electronica" is worse, but at least it doesn't carry the same kind of smug tone.

It's unbelievable how much people can care about simple terms and acronyms.
 
It's unbelievable how much people can care about simple terms and acronyms.

It was tough back in the day because you had to try and figure out where in the record store this stuff was, and the staff certainly wasn't going to help you.

It's easier now, but you can make the argument that it's hard finding people who are even worth listening to at this point now that the shift between IDM, Eletronica, Trip Hop, Chillout and Dubstep have blurred the boundaries so deftly.

That damn EDM-Flo album is a perfect example. I was expecting a mixture of J-Pop and Trip Hop, I got an EDM-Sampler. ::Shrugs::
 
It's unbelievable how much people can care about simple terms and acronyms.

I don't like most of the genre-lawyering and sub-sub-subdivisions that tend to come about when people classify electronic music. It's worse when the terms have connotations that have nothing to do with the music. We're all better off describing the music itself instead of trying to fit it into existing definitions.

But anyway, any fans of Morton Subotnick in here?
 
I've yet to really come to terms with either. But I like The Sounds they make, and overall, Autechre's sounds are less distracting. That is my conclusion. Interpret as you will
 
Both, but i like AT more. Dirtier sound most of the time, which jives with my musical wants more often.

Still though, Amon Tobin is better than both.

::Puffs up. Then runs::

He's my favorite artist, so don't run we shall make camp together. I didn't bring him up because I don't think he's directly comparable here. His sound is much more in line with DJ Krush, (Old) Bonobo, Coldcut, Shadow, Funci Porcini, Cinematic Orchestra and DJ Food. All of which I highly recommend to people that find themselves in this thread.
 
I'll say Aphex Twin but only because I have a lot more experience with his music. Man, I used to listen the shit out of his stuff.

Plus, them videos: Donkey Rhubarb, Come to Daddy, Rubber Johnny...
 
Yes, both Autechre and Aphex Twin have influenced a lot. But they did that in the early 90s. I have not kept up to date with Autechre's bi-yearly releases, but the few times I checked, it sounded very similar to what they did then.

It's just that there's probably electronic acts that influence future artists RIGHT NOW. I'm not sure what they are, but it's not Autechre or Aphex Twin.

Wow. Do I need to link to a definition of "influence" and create a flow chart for you?
 
Wow. Do I need to link to a definition of "influence" and create a flow chart for you?

All I'm saying is that ppl arguing Aphex Twin vs Autechre is a bit like people arguing Pearl Jam vs Sound Garden or something. It's way in the past, water under the bridge. How about some interesting electronic music from now
 
All I'm saying is that ppl arguing Aphex Twin vs Autechre is a bit like people arguing Pearl Jam vs Sound Garden or something. It's way in the past, water under the bridge. How about some interesting electronic music from now

Autechre are still putting out well-received music though. RDJ's releases are much more sporadic, but he's still active too. It's not like they stopped producing or anything.
 
It's weird how Boards of Canada were grouped under that Warp umbrella back in the day (and maybe they're still on Warp?) but I think of them completely differently. They're more about nostalgic/spooky/sad sonic textures than the kind of technical trickery that I usually think of from Warp. I think they have a more timeless quality, and it seems like they have a different (and younger) following these days.
 
AFX, easily. Windowlicker, Both Selected Ambient Works, Richard D James Album. Flawless victory.

Auetchre are too shabby though, quite liked LP5.
 
All I'm saying is that ppl arguing Aphex Twin vs Autechre is a bit like people arguing Pearl Jam vs Sound Garden or something. It's way in the past, water under the bridge. How about some interesting electronic music from now

Aphex/Autechre --> Kid A --> About 100000 bands currently making music
 
All I'm saying is that ppl arguing Aphex Twin vs Autechre is a bit like people arguing Pearl Jam vs Sound Garden or something. It's way in the past, water under the bridge. How about some interesting electronic music from now

So you haven't listened to anything Autechre has released in the last few years? You know, the albums that top the electronic sales charts whenever they're released? The ones that are well received by critics and fans? Oversteps? Exai?
 
It's weird how Boards of Canada were grouped under that Warp umbrella back in the day (and maybe they're still on Warp?) but I think of them completely differently. They're more about nostalgic/spooky/sad sonic textures than the kind of technical trickery that I usually think of from Warp. I think they have a more timeless quality, and it seems like they have a different (and younger) following these days.

Yeah, i think of them more of being in that Brian Eno/Biosphere lane.

The hipster/p4k crowd really latched onto them heavy, never quite got how that happened.
 
It's weird how Boards of Canada were grouped under that Warp umbrella back in the day (and maybe they're still on Warp?) but I think of them completely differently. They're more about nostalgic/spooky/sad sonic textures than the kind of technical trickery that I usually think of from Warp. I think they have a more timeless quality, and it seems like they have a different (and younger) following these days.

I really don't consider them equals either, BOC is it's own entity.

But this thread did remind me how much I loved Squarepusher back in the day. Now, where did I leave those CD's.
 
Yeah, i think of them more of being in that Brian Eno/Biosphere lane.

The hipster/p4k crowd really latched onto them heavy, never quite got how that happened.

Arguably they kicked off the hauntology stuff which that crowd seem to love. I think Ghost Box did it better but BoC mined a stream of that a few years before.
 
All I'm saying is that ppl arguing Aphex Twin vs Autechre is a bit like people arguing Pearl Jam vs Sound Garden or something. It's way in the past, water under the bridge. How about some interesting electronic music from now




go ahead and list them then

lets see if they're as interesting to talk about. I mean, you try to pull "that shits old" and don't provide a good example of a modern electronic act more worthy of discussion.
 
Aphex twin all the way. Even though Druqks got a lot of hate back then i still consider it one of the best electronic albums ever made. Not his best work ( as SAW II ) but still miles ahead of what is currently put out by others.
Could not get into the later works of AE ( but Exai is fucking great )
 
Aphex twin all the way. Even though Druqks got a lot of hate back then i still consider it one of the best electronic albums ever made. Not his best work ( as SAW II ) but still miles ahead of what is currently put out by others.
Could not get into the later works of AE ( but Exai is fucking great )


I might have misread you, but this is a good example of how divisive his output is. SAW II is one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard, I loved the first but the second is wanky ambient noodlings IMO.
 
I wish there were more acts like RDJ around, but he's pretty much one-of-a-kind. He created his own little worlds, wrote his own musical language and had a killer sense of humor about everything. He literally wrote his own language too, with the song titles and anagrams. He's basically the Willy Wonka of the industry. He made electronic stuff that appeals to a guy who doesn't really like electronic music.
 
I might have misread you, but this is a good example of how divisive his output is. SAW II is one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard, I loved the first but the second is wanky ambient noodlings IMO.

Well your first mistake was getting your hopes up for a sequel album (lol)

SAW II is alright. It just meanders a lot.
 
They were relevant in the early 90s. Surprised to see how often their names still pop up.

That said, a slight edge to Autechre, mostly due to consistency. Starting with Incunabula, they just have a lot of memorable tracks (maybe one or a couple per album on average).

Whereas Aphex Twin is mostly just Classics, Ambient Works II, and then a whole bunch of nothing. Autechre wins on consistency.

returning to this

I might have misread you, but this is a good example of how divisive his output is. SAW II is one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard, I loved the first but the second is wanky ambient noodlings IMO.

and now this...

It should be known that the VAST majority of RDJ's output was never meant to reach the public. He's stated that even the intentionally released stuff often times wasn't chosen by him. Instead he let his close friends and the label pick out the best songs and compile them into his albums. He admitted he liked to experiment and didn't always have an ear for what others would find a licking towards.

A lot of his stuff, especially the countless Untitled tracks were released because they were leaked and the label decided it was best to have them out under official channels.
 
I might have misread you, but this is a good example of how divisive his output is. SAW II is one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard, I loved the first but the second is wanky ambient noodlings IMO.

Its ok, with time i got to love more of his stranger output.I hated drukqs atfirwt because it was not the music i expected from him but with time it grew on me and is now one of my favorite outputs from him.
Even though Richard has not put out an Album for almost a decade he still sounds very fresh. The Metz track just proves that he still got it. I just hope i will release something in the next 10 years.
 
Well your first mistake was getting your hopes up for a sequel album (lol)

SAW II is alright. It just meanders a lot.

Yeah, I think that's fair. If it was shorter and dropped some of the tracks it would have been a lot more enjoyable. I think the flip of that is the Analord stuff, there are some really good tracks across the 12"s but Chosen Lords isn't long enough.
 
How do you guys like RDJ's album he recently did under The Tuss? I liked it but he's been stuck in a certain mode for so long that I hoped he would have tried a different sound this time.
 
Rushup Edge was quite good. I find myself returning to it more than his other stuff because it's a succinct little EP.
 
Yeah, I think that's fair. If it was shorter and dropped some of the tracks it would have been a lot more enjoyable. I think the flip of that is the Analord stuff, there are some really good tracks across the 12"s but Chosen Lords isn't long enough.
FWIW i like it better than Drukqs, which people seem to praise a lot.

How do you guys like RDJ's album he recently did under The Tuss? I liked it but he's been stuck in a certain mode for so long that I hoped he would have tried a different sound this time.
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How do you guys like RDJ's album he recently did under The Tuss? I liked it but he's been stuck in a certain mode for so long that I hoped he would have tried a different sound this time.
Was it ever confirmed that he is The Tuss?

And having his name on the liner notes doesn't count.
 
Sorry for the slight off topic but i still remember seeing this video and thinking a New Album was in its way

http://youtu.be/RZ0Ldfv4xyc

years later he dropped this and again the Hype went to the roof

http://youtu.be/PnVRp6SXSk4

And again nothing :( thosec2 tracks are beautiful and deserve a release but after all those years i doubt they will be as Richard is going to be Richard on that regard. Bless him
 
Autechre are more consistent and intensive musically. James is more broad or extensive but his experimentalism doesn't go to nearly as far of lengths. Confield is like Autechre dancing on the fringes of what music could possibly be, James doesn't have as singular of a vision as something like that, his creativity is more the playful and voracious kind which I find less interesting.
 
I like both.

Autechre are more consistent and intensive musically. James is more broad or extensive but his experimentalism doesn't go to nearly as far of lengths. Confield is like Autechre dancing on the fringes of what music could possibly be, James doesn't have as singular of a vision as something like that, his creativity is more the playful and voracious kind which I find less interesting.
I know you'd post something like that, you Autechre stan! (Kidding, this isn't pop-gaf.)
 
That's a tough one, considering they are my two favorites. But Aphex Twin is so essential to me it's like part of my personality.

1. Aphex Twin
2. Autechre
3. Amon Tobin
4. Squarepusher
5. Boards of Canada
 
I thought nothing could top I Care Because You Do back then, but Richard D James Album was really something. That's the album that made me think that guy's brain should be donated to science when he leaves us. What the hell else is there like that album? It stands so far on its own from anything else in that genre to me.
 
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