Which album has the best overall flow

in terms of just flow and track selection I'd have to say Tri Repeate ++ and Incunabula.

  On 12/30/2014 at 1:06 AM, Poiman said:

 

  On 12/29/2014 at 6:21 PM, Jev said:

 

  On 12/29/2014 at 1:33 AM, Poiman said:

No mentions of Confield? That's probably the pick for me... Individual tracks are quite different, but unified in their "feel". That album definitely feels like a journey to me, from cover to cover.

 

Confield is a good collection of tracks, in my opinion. Not much flow.

 

Interesting. I might actually be an outlier in viewing the whole of Confield as a "story".

 

I actually feel like all of the albums from Chiastic Slide > Draft are kind of like concept albums with a real sense of story and place. Curiously, I feel like Untilted is just a collection of tracks but it's the most mentioned album in this thread.

 

I think Chi Slide is a good contender looking at the overall album flow, unified sound palate, and seamless track to track transitions.

 

I agree that Untilted is a collection of tracks. I don't know why, though.

However, how could I forget about the album flow of Draft is beyond me. That album has great flow and is very sonically coherent.

Apart from eidetic casein, confield has a great narrative. I posted a possible storyline which was quite good in some confield thread once.

  On 12/25/2014 at 2:27 PM, YELLOW said:

 

  On 12/25/2014 at 2:08 PM, Verdant Hickies said:

 

  On 12/25/2014 at 11:33 AM, chim said:

Untilted, no question about it..

Came here to say the same.

Yeah the flow even in individual tracks is very impressive

 

Yup. Untilted as a whole felt like it was moving at a consistent pace throughout, except for when the tempo slows a bit in Iera. But from Fermium on it picks up speed again.

  On 12/25/2014 at 5:27 PM, baph said:

Untilted is correct.

I'm surprised to hear such a consensus regarding untilted.

That is basically the only album of theirs I cannot listen to.

I find it very dry (percussive wise) and really repetitive....

blah blah blah subtle changes etc.... I get that. I just find untilted to be their least interesting album. The mastering is all off, I don't find it particularly dynamic (where is the low end?).... I don't know I guess I'm an autechre newb, I just don't understand.

experts pls

edit: I guess it did have great flow in that each track was very similarly repetitive and dry? =/

  On 1/7/2015 at 8:53 AM, StephenG said:

I'm surprised to hear such a consensus regarding untilted.

 

That is basically the only album of theirs I cannot listen to.

 

I find it very dry (percussive wise) and really repetitive....

 

blah blah blah subtle changes etc.... I get that. I just find untilted to be their least interesting album. The mastering is all off, I don't find it particularly dynamic (where is the low end?).... I don't know I guess I'm an autechre newb, I just don't understand.

 

experts pls

 

 

edit: I guess it did have great flow in that each track was very similarly repetitive and dry? =/

Then maybe a year and a half ago I came around and like it more

That said I still don't see why it's so universally voted as having the best flow

I'll give it another shot one of these weekends

My main problem with Untilted is that it isn't that good compositionally. It is an instant beat-oriented record but it gets old rather quickly. Dryness of the record is, in some way, interesting to me. It is, however, a bit too over-compressed for my taste.

Just btw, try carefully listen to Untilted in low volume levels. Low volume level listening is an uncompromising test of a quality (emotions, composition, production) of music. Loudness creates fake impressions. If you can headbang to a track playing quietly, then you can jump around your house when it plays loud. It does not necessarily work the other way. Low-level Untilted - not so special music (but still good).

  On 12/30/2014 at 2:03 PM, Jev said:

 

 

However, how could I forget about the album flow of Draft is beyond me. That album has great flow and is very sonically coherent.

 

Agreed. That's my choice.

  On 1/8/2015 at 12:36 PM, Jev said:

My main problem with Untilted is that it isn't that good compositionally. It is an instant beat-oriented record but it gets old rather quickly. Dryness of the record is, in some way, interesting to me. It is, however, a bit too over-compressed for my taste.

 

Just btw, try carefully listen to Untilted in low volume levels. Low volume level listening is an uncompromising test of a quality (emotions, composition, production) of music. Loudness creates fake impressions. If you can headbang to a track playing quietly, then you can jump around your house when it plays loud. It does not necessarily work the other way. Low-level Untilted - not so special music (but still good).

I'd guess that's kind of the opposite of what they want from the listener on Untilted. It came very much from their live sets, and is 'dry' with the intent of the end listener BLASTING the album, with natural reverb coming from the space their listening to the album in. The amount of hidden melodies and quietly mixed bits also suggests that. That is of course all speculation, but nonetheless, I blast it loud when I play it, and love it . . .

  On 1/10/2015 at 5:16 PM, auxien said:

 

  On 12/30/2014 at 2:03 PM, Jev said:

 

 

However, how could I forget about the album flow of Draft is beyond me. That album has great flow and is very sonically coherent.

 

 

Agreed. That's my choice.

 

 

  On 1/8/2015 at 12:36 PM, Jev said:

My main problem with Untilted is that it isn't that good compositionally. It is an instant beat-oriented record but it gets old rather quickly. Dryness of the record is, in some way, interesting to me. It is, however, a bit too over-compressed for my taste.

 

Just btw, try carefully listen to Untilted in low volume levels. Low volume level listening is an uncompromising test of a quality (emotions, composition, production) of music. Loudness creates fake impressions. If you can headbang to a track playing quietly, then you can jump around your house when it plays loud. It does not necessarily work the other way. Low-level Untilted - not so special music (but still good).

 

 

I'd guess that's kind of the opposite of what they want from the listener on Untilted. It came very much from their live sets, and is 'dry' with the intent of the end listener BLASTING the album, with natural reverb coming from the space their listening to the album in. The amount of hidden melodies and quietly mixed bits also suggests that. That is of course all speculation, but nonetheless, I blast it loud when I play it, and love it . . .

 

I do both type of listening (quiet/loud) but only one of them has enough longevity, in my opinion. I also prefer headphones to speakers.

Once upon a time in my life, Untilted was my favourite album. Whilst it doesn't quite have the same effect on me as it once did, blasting that album through speakers is as dynamic an album experience as you get. Around the time I was 22yo, it felt like a rollercoaster ride where you pressed play.

I think Untilted is certainly a sensible choice from one viewpoint. Largely because the tracks for the most part involve a similar progression and deconstruction, they are all being put through the same experience despite their differences. But, on the other hand, that similarity could also hinder the flow for some, and become repititive. If you are not in the mood for Untilted, it drags.

I don't get any of the dynamics any of you are talking about. I find untilted is completely missing any low end.

And before you say it's my system, the 2 of my subs play down to 16hz (and my power amps have a freq response down to 5hz).

So I don't know what the deal is. I find untilted plays really flat and nothing below about 35hz =S

  On 1/12/2015 at 6:36 AM, StephenG said:

I don't get any of the dynamics any of you are talking about. I find untilted is completely missing any low end.

correct. this album seriously lacks ass. also pads are too low in the mix. at first i thought it might have to do with the new (elektron) setup. but nope, listen to glasgow art school, i think the sound of that soundboard is actually better than on the corresponding album.

untilted=

- in terms of composition: probably the most ambitious album yet (i consider it their "prog rock" phase, with quaristice consequently following as their own little "punk rock revolution")

- in terms of sound sound / mix: easily the worst of the whole bunch, period. also the beginning of fermium still sucks. k thx bye.

Glad it's not just me

  On 1/12/2015 at 6:36 AM, StephenG said:

I don't get any of the dynamics any of you are talking about. I find untilted is completely missing any low end.

 

And before you say it's my system, the 2 of my subs play down to 16hz (and my power amps have a freq response down to 5hz).

 

So I don't know what the deal is. I find untilted plays really flat and nothing below about 35hz =S

Make sure your listening spot is not in a null. Any bass below 30 hz is basically useless for your ears so that is not the frequency you are missing in the record. I would guess it would be some higher bass like around 100 or 200 hz and those frequencies are very sensitive to peaks and nulls in your room. So check your sweet-spot with sine waves and try again. There is a reason in "33% rule" and equilateral triangle of positioning speakers and listening spot (I saw somebody on WATMM making fun of it). Untilted definitely has bass in it.

  On 1/12/2015 at 8:04 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

 

  On 1/8/2015 at 12:36 PM, Jev said:

My main problem with Untilted is that it isn't that good compositionally. It is an instant beat-oriented record but it gets old rather quickly. Dryness of the record is, in some way, interesting to me. It is, however, a bit too over-compressed for my taste.

 

Just btw, try carefully listen to Untilted in low volume levels. Low volume level listening is an uncompromising test of a quality (emotions, composition, production) of music. Loudness creates fake impressions. If you can headbang to a track playing quietly, then you can jump around your house when it plays loud. It does not necessarily work the other way. Low-level Untilted - not so special music (but still good).

i disagree with everything in this post

 

Good. Now if you could write why that would be enriching (no kidding).

  On 1/12/2015 at 7:28 AM, jaderpansen said:

 

- in terms of composition: probably the most ambitious album yet

 

No way. It is very basic compared to some of their other records.

Stephen, I agree Untilted is definitely one of their less punching records, though. But it is not just a bass problem. It is also a compression problem.

  On 1/12/2015 at 10:51 AM, Jev said:

 

  On 1/12/2015 at 7:28 AM, jaderpansen said:

 

- in terms of composition: probably the most ambitious album yet

 

 

No way. It is very basic compared to some of their other records.

 

this might be true for alot of the "riffs" (yeah it's a kinda riff-based album and in that regard might be considered simple) but if you look at the macrostructure of each track the sheer number of sections for most is extraordinary imo.

the "epicness" in scale of each track further supports my statement, i think.

also (kinda more on-topic) the way aforementioned sections flow into each is other is quite seamless which definitely is a compositional achievement.

For me the flow of an autechre album is almost always present and will reveal itself given the right mood and setting.

For me Untilted is great for biking, tri repetae for brisk walking (also during storms etc)

confield simply has to be taken in through headphones, laying comfortably in a semi darkened room.

Oversteps always seems to work best at night, especially on a foggy or frosty night.

Exai is commercial, clubby, city neon lights. It's quite terrestrial sounding, I would love to drive through Tokyo in a posh leather interior car to Exai.

I must have subconsciously glanced at this thread title yesterday, because last night I ended up dreaming about this question. In my dream I decided it was a tossup between Untilted/Quaristice/Oversteps. The dream then continued to some sort of island I was exploring on foot while having to constantly hide in overgrowth from a groundskeeper, which was difficult because I was wearing an ankle-length hi-vis coat of some sort.

However upon waking up I realised that in my dream I'd completely forgotten that Confield existed, so maybe it's that?

^the experience of traversing an island with an ominous groundskeeper lurking around after you. That would be the Confield experience right there.

  On 1/12/2015 at 12:26 PM, jaderpansen said:

the "epicness" in scale of each track further supports my statement, i think.

also (kinda more on-topic) the way aforementioned sections flow into each is other is quite seamless which definitely is a compositional achievement.

The seamlessness is definitely an achievement, I agree. I just think they've made more seamless and deep stuff than on Untilted. Untilted is really sequenced to my ears while some of their other records are like fluid.

Low volume level listening will mainly give you the idea of how compressed the music is. In other words if you are able to hear everything in the mix at low volume the music clearly isn't that dynamic. Could be intended ofc and in most cases is. I guess it's because of the radio mentality - I mean you want your track to be heard even on low level background listening to catch the attention of the listener.

Quaristice flows super well. Same with Draft.

Oh and lolololol at saying Untilted is lacking in low-end.