Toronto listening party - Syro Review

crazy hey? looking back I like...

I don't even know.

I got drukqs when I was first getting into the idmz so maybe it was too much awesome for me to comprehend.

Thanks for bailing me out guys, I knew I was really sticking my neck out by giving a poor review. Opinions are like assholes everyone has one…. Or whatever that saying is.

Panzor made a great comment though about why the heck haven’t we heard more reviews yet, a lot of Watmm users attended the London listening parties who haven’t said too much yet. I’d worry that no review at all is almost worse than a negative review, which is why I commented (probably too harsh though in hindsight). Sorry about that. I was really gutted after hearing the record.

Regarding ifeelspace’s comment about the album really picking up from track 5 onwards, yep you’re right, and based on your comments I’m more sure now that I won’t like this record because I don’t go to clubs and not a fan of “club” music.

To be honest I don’t think Aphex does club music well, the best club tracks are totally disposable. Aphex’s music is the kind of music you can listen to anywhere. It’s just music – I wouldn’t normally identify his stuff with clubs or raves. Whenever I’ve played out I used to play Aphex tracks and the response was almost always positive, but I can’t ever remember hearing any other Dj play his music when I used to go to clubs. It didn’t fit in well because it was too complex, or something…

I’m a fan of the introspective, personal recordings, tracks like Alberto Balsalm, or some of the piano tracks on Drukqs I loved those tracks. I also love his remixes of DMX Krew, Cylob, actually I like all of his remixes.

Someone asked if this is my first Aphex album, actually no far from it, I’ve been listening to Aphex since Analogue Bubblebath 3 and I’ve seen him play live four times. I have all of his records I bought them myself in the record store when they came out. I guess that means I’ve been a fan of his music for about 15 or 16 years?

Again this is my last post on the subject I promise. So so sorry if I upset anyone, I realize it might have been shitty and not thought out well for me to post anything negative about this album until you all have had an opportunity to hear for yourself. One thought, I bet this album will divide his fans, I don’t think it’s possible to not have a strong feeling about it and that’s a good thing. Isn’t it?

It wasn't shit, it was a comedic angle on a negative review. If anyone takes umbrage from any of it then they are dicks.

Stick to your guns man and stop being a wuss.

Given that squarepusher AND Aphex' newest albums seem to be more accessible and club oriented, maybe they're just at an age where they want to have fun.... You know? Like they've dedicated a good chunk of their life to making "thinking mans" or whatever music and now they're just having a good time.

Musicians mid-life crisis type of thing (not in a bad way)

Probably more that the music they have always made was the enjoyable stuff as it's experimenting and doing whatever they want and not following trends and the music later in the career is either running out of ideas so turning to straight/dancier stuff as it's easier to arrange or that they need the money so opt for a more commercial output while still retaining their dignity. Maybe they are older and need money to pay the mortgage/kids college fund etc?

I let the warp soundcloud run after listening to minipops and all the tracks that followed were meh but Hudson Mohawke's new track made my face curl like a empty crisp packet thrown on a fire. Fucking horrible clap trap. Ok so, he's sold out for hits? He has a shit load, over 1million. Now look at Plaid, virtually nothing in comparison and they have stayed with their same sounds etc. Seeing stuff like this could be enough to tame/tailor their output.

I was also at the listening party.

Loved hearing the album early, but there's just no way to make heads from tails of the majority of the 2nd half of the album after only one listen. The album really ramps up as it's nearing the final tracks... almost to a dizzying degree.

My ideal first listening experience for anything is nestled in bed with my Sennheisers, but I'm still grateful for having had the chance to hear this two weeks in advance.

As for everyone promptly leaving after the album was over... I didn't take that as a sign that folks weren't pleased with what they just heard. I can only speak for myself, but since guests weren't permitted and I'm in a room with a bunch of strangers (with no merch booth), I felt it appropriate to head out after the house lights came on.

I quite liked the album! Can't wait for a second listen.

Nothing happened in Montreal. We have fucking Mutek here, but no Aphex pre-release listening session. You know why? Cause he will be headlining Mutek summer 2015. Mouahaha.

toplel review

i hope i'll enjoy it a bit more then you did

2 bad you didn't like on first listen but maybe it will grow on you + more music comming up so chin up bro

(i hope he's not trolling about that in the interviews, afx pliss)

no es fake

I'm happy people "hate" it on the first listen

Everyone I've showed drukqs to "hates" it because it's too fast and there are no nice melodies in it apparently. I didn't even like it at first except the piano tracks for the same reason, I couldn't quite follow what was going on

After familiarizing myself with it I love the intense and fast tracks most of all. They are so packed with detail, I'm sure this will be the same in typical RDJ style.

I like tracks where you can listen to it 100 times and still notice something new. AE and RDJ are the absolute best at this as far as I'm concerned and I doubt RDJ would just drop his quality out of nowhere for no reason especially since this stuff was made in Tuss'ish era.

for Christ sake Papillon, don't apologise for your opinion. Syro ain't your thing. I can't think of one album I've heard in my life where I liked every track. A few have come close, but that's not an extensive list. I've tempered my expectations for Syro & if I like half of it, I consider that a victory. That's pretty accurate for Rich's releases with me anyway. Half amazeballs, the other half meh.

  On 9/9/2014 at 5:49 AM, Zeffolia said:

I'm happy people "hate" it on the first listen

 

Everyone I've showed drukqs to "hates" it because it's too fast and there are no nice melodies in it apparently. I didn't even like it at first except the piano tracks for the same reason, I couldn't quite follow what was going on

 

After familiarizing myself with it I love the intense and fast tracks most of all. They are so packed with detail, I'm sure this will be the same in typical RDJ style.

 

I like tracks where you can listen to it 100 times and still notice something new. AE and RDJ are the absolute best at this as far as I'm concerned and I doubt RDJ would just drop his quality out of nowhere for no reason especially since this stuff was made in Tuss'ish era.

consider yourself to have hit the nail firmly and squarely on the head

been drinking a lot of water since reading this review.

Yep. I agree. Stick to your guns. It's okay to not like any music, possibly more so when it's this hyped. I adore the gentle and frantic sides of RDJ's music though the only release of his I would gladly listen to start to finish is the European, 10 track version of RDJ album. Everything else has tracks I'd skip. Minipops is great. With that and Metz alone I'm happy. Glad to know there may be a challenge ahead to appreciate it as a whole.

This topic is just getting me more ramped up. I heard him play live and at first I didn't love it but I think I became hypnotized or something. My whole body seemed to work on Aphexian rhythm for months afterwards. Anyway I was really hoping he'd put out an album in that vein since I feel it very different from his other stuff (but maybe with roots in his very early stuff? still, different enough to be an entity of its own). Anyway it was like I tasted something that night which was more sweet than anything else I've ever tried and nothing has been able to quench my desire for it, maybe I finally get closure.

Also, Papillion, I found it kind of abrasive until he started mixing some very clever stuff and then I just fell into it like coming up on psychedelics.. It may not be within your interest as I have listened to a lot of Hardstyle, Drum and Bass, Tektonik, etc. but I think it takes a little time to get acclimated. Also, I'm guessing it's only going to be okay in headphones but I might make another thread about that. Either way no fault for having your opinion, thanks for the review.