Autechre have recorded our 122nd exclusive FACT mix. Autechre. Do we really need to explain who they are?
For those who need reminding: Rob Brown and Sean Booth are among electronic music’s most important yet elusive characters, two b-boys from the north-west of England who have been stretching their formative loves – hip-hop, electro and early house music – into ever more abstract and otherworldly climes, beginning with the 1991 single ‘Cavity Job’.
The duo joined the Warp Records family in ’92, contributing two show-stealing tracks to the label’s seminal “electronic listening music” compilation, Artificial Intelligence, before delivering their own shockingly original debut full-length, Incunabula. That album took familiar dance music tropes – breaks derived from electro, gloopy synth textures from Chicago acid – and modelled them into totally fresh configurations, adding a very British industrial burnish and post-rave melancholy to the mix. If the three albums that came next – the masterful Amber (1994), Tri Repetae (1995) and Chiastic Slide (1997) – found the group evolving at a steady pace, ’98′s LP5 and 2001′s Confield represented a quantum leap. Autechre’s music by this point had become more akin to sound-art, a (paradoxically) busy electronic minimalism that took the deconstruction of the breakbeat to vociferously scientific extremes.
It’s true that much of Autechre’s noughties work alienated those drawn to the broader techno-romanticism of their early records, with Draft 7.30 (2003) and Untilted (2005) scaring many off for good, but their most recent full-length – 2008′s Quaristice – was almost unanimously acclaimed, and deservedly so. Sure, it was still an intimidating work, but one of often great beauty and three-dimensional complexity, the kind of album you could listen to for years and never fully fathom. It was as if the future had almost – but not quite – caught up with Autechre. Next month, March 22 to be precise, Quaristice‘s eagerly awaited follow-up, Oversteps, is due to be released through Warp, and early whispers are already proclaiming it to be among the very best of Autechre’s career.
Of course, there’s more to Autechre than their albums – a vast array of singles, EPs, remixes and collaborative projects that fill in the gaps in the narrative. In 2003 they curated the fourth edition of ATP, selecting the best line-up in the festival’s history: Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir, Public Enemy, Jim O’Rourke, Coil, Bernard Parmegiani, LFO, The Fall, Sunn O))) were among the artists who performed. As a live entity themselves, Autechre are one of the most intense and transporting you will ever encounter; it’s face-to-face, in the flesh, that their sound really comes alive.
To coincide with the release of Oversteps, Autechre are embarking on a tour that culminates with a headline performance at the 2010 Bloc Weekend, taking place at Butlin’s in Minehead, UK on March 12-14. You ought to be there.
And so here it is. Autechre’s FACT mix. Rob and Sean – who we interviewed in-depth in 2008 – have declined to talk about the mix itself, telling us that “it’s just some tunes [they] like”. No tracklist either, so spotters, please do you worst. What we can tell you is that the mix is an unpredictable, kaleidoscopic affair, rooted in sinuous leftfield hip-hop but with bursts of tremulous ambient electronics, techno, hectic breakbeats and, at one particularly memorable point, metal. We needn’t tell you how rare recorded DJ-mixes from Autechre are, so please, don’t sleep on this.
Download: FACT mix 122 – Autechre
(available for three weeks)
Autechre perform at Bloc Weekend, March 12-14. More info and tickets here.
Delightful chaps, thanks a bunch!
Hey, guys! Why aren't this mixes available at your podcast? It will be great, if one could download all your mixes at one place.
Delightful signing for a Fact Mix ! Keep it up
cheers!
btw, it's Untilted, not Untitled.
I have pretty much no idea on most of the tracks on here, but I can tell you that the death metal that kicks in around 52:49 is “Diminised to B” by Necrophagist.
Can't believe they managed to shoehorn that in there!
Awesome mix, seriously excited about Oversteps.
m/
tracklist:
1. [00:00] Mark Stewart & Maffia – Blessed Are Those Who Struggle [On-U Sound, 1983]
2. [03:25] Sensational – Thick Marker [WordSound, 1997]
3. [05:03] Phat Kat – Cock Suckers [Sequence Records, 2002]
4. [06:45] Scorn – Black Belt [Hymen Records, 2002]
5. [07:30] Tangerine Dream – Exit [Virgin, 1981]
6. [10:28] Roedelius – Ãœbern Fluss
7. [12:15] Sonic Sum – Negatives [Tri-Eight Music Supplies, 2004]
8. [13:40] Raekwon – Broken Safety [Ice H2O Records, 2009]
9. [16:09] Q-Tip & Free Murder – Just A Lil Dude “Who Dat Ovah There” [Koch Records, 2007]
10. [19:32] J Dilla – Won't Do (Instrumental) [BBE, 2006]
11. [23:10] Black Milk – Danger [Music House, 2005]
12. [25:02] Ruby-Lo – Guilty Until Proven Guilty (feat. Thirstin Howl The 3rd) [Skillionaire Enterprises, 2009]
13. [28:04] Black Milk – Sound The Alarm [Fat Beats, 2006]
14. [30:15] Venetian Snares – Molting [Isolate, 2000]
15. [33:13] Venetian Snares – Punishing The Atoms [Isolate, 2000]
16. [38:50] Todd Terry – Made By The Man [Sleeping Bag, 1988]
17. [42:06] Percee P – Throwback Rap Attack [Stones Throw Records, 2006]
18. [45:00] Tuff Crew – Behold The Detonator [Warlock Records, 1989]
19. [47:00] Ultramagnetic MC's – Break North [Next Plateau Records Inc., 1988]
20. [50:00] Strafe – Set It Off [Jus Born Records, 1984]
21. [52:50] Necrophagist – Diminished To Be [Relapse Records, 2004]
22. [56:26] Bernard Parmegiani РOndes Crois̩es [INA-GRM, 1984]
23. [58:27] Stephen Mallinder – Pow Wow [Fetish Records, 1981]
24. [61:30]
25. [62:32] Beat Club – Security (Beats)
26. [65:45] Meat Beat Manifesto – Radio Babylon [Play It Again Sam, 1990]
27. [68:54] New Age Steppers – Radial Drill [On-U Sound, 1981]
28. [71:55] Stephen Mallinder – Cool Down [Fetish Records, 1981]
29. [74:40] Stephen Mallinder – Length Of Time [Fetish Records, 1982]
also there http://www.mixesdb.com/db/index.php/2010-02-08_...
Excellent job Svoi, but if these particular DJs can't be bothered to put out track-listings on their mixes, then perhaps I can't be bothered to buy their music or turn up to their shows. Arrogant and unnecessary. You're playing other people's music: credit it.
feh.
when DJ's play publicly (that is to say whilst getting paid) they don't have a playlist for your convenience. is that a no-no for you too?
you are a bit confused, and this mix is a bit different from what you are used to. it's ok.
thanks for the playlist Svoi_chelovek.
This is an excellent idea. I'm going to protest Autechre for not putting track names or listings on this mix or some of their albums. It is arrogant and self righteous. I think it's about time someone stepped up and did this. We will be remembered as pioneers.
eh, autechre. what a bunch of pompus wankers. i mean first they put out all this horrid 'music', and then they drop this crap on us (without even the courtesy of a fecking playlist). Metal? Hip-hop? V Snares?
i want my enya goddamn it.
I think you find me unappreciative. I'm not. It's a good mix and good publicity for them (..oh, they don't need it? Of course they do). Most of the mixes posted here are good, and there is an established practice of posting track-listing, which I think is great. Everyone else could be arsed, why shouldn't they?
I agree with your implication that it is reasonable that DJs don't generally provide track-lists for live sets and aren't usually expected to. There are some practical reasons why that might be a bit of pain, and its not customary. Still, I'd be all for it, come to think of it. But here it is customary, and relatively painless.
eh… you're missing the point dude. it makes the mix more enjoyable when you don't know the tracks and makes you do some homework to discover what the tracks are… you never know what you might find on the way.
or just hold yer sweesh for 10 mins till some geek figures out the tracklisting for you. : )
phat mix as usuall
unofficial autechre videos. View
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar0fUE3_Y40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSbNZuP77qU&feat...
Great selection… I listen it looped…
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