Autechre - Exai

I have been a huge fan of Autechre since the beginning of their career. I got into the "Artificial intelligence" series by Warp though Polygon Window, a Aphex Twin side project. When the first Autechre album 'Incunabula' was released i picked it up blind, and was immediately hooked on their melancholic form of IDM/Electro.

I kept buying their releases, following them through their first ambient IDM albums, to the esoteric musical mathemetics of their mid period albums like 'Confield" and "Untilted'. With their latest two albums 'Quaristice' and 'Oversteps' the lads returned to a more human form of complex IDM and the new album 'Exai' follows up on that.

At a first quick listen it seems Autechre returns to the mathematical formulas, but on a closer listening many warm meandering melodies flow through the complex twitchy glitchy rhythms making it a very enjoyable listening experience. The level of detail is astonishing. I once saw a screenshot of a daw screen of a Autechre song, and the automations where so much over the place, that screenshot could have been a work of art itself. I guess that is the same on this album as well. The songs keep changing, evolving and meandering through the strange musical landscapes Autechre is been known for making.

'Exai' is a lengthy exercise clocking in at 2 hours. A first high point we get into the stunningly beautiful jazzy "Irlite (get0)". and it keeps on delivering. "Flep", "Bladelores" and closer "VYV UX" are all fantastic songs. As usuall it will take a lot of listens to get to the core of this album, but on my first few listens i already like it a lot, and it is pretty amazing Autechre manages to create such a relatively accessable album while still being way ahead and at esoteric heights compared to all their followers.

With 'Exai' Autechre once again proves to be the undisputed emperor of IDM. Their level or musicianship, production skills and sound building is absolutely amazing. Sometimes i have the idea both Rob and Sean are not even human, but we are listening to the music of a far advanced alien or transhuman civilization.

'Exai' will be released on 2CD and 4LP and on several digital formats in March, the digital formats have been released already. 'Exai' might already be among the best albums released in 2013. If you are into IDM, this one cannot be missed, but knowing the avarage IDM lover, this one is already in their mp3 players. Feb 09 2013