Autechre: PLUS Review

So, two weeks after the release of SIGN, Autechre have dropped another album.  It’s different in some ways and similar in others.

The first question that comes up is whether or not this is a distinct album or a very long EP of reworks and leftovers.  They’ve certainly done album-length EP’s before.  However, the catalog number begins with the WARP prefix denoting as a proper album (EP’s generally use WAP).  A very smart guy on Reddit also has an interesting take on the actual numbering that seems to confirm this.

The problem is, this feels more like a collection of tracks rather than a cohesive album.  The sequencing is odd, and I’m not sure how it fits.  Instead, it reminds me of the relationship between Oversteps and Move of Ten.  I’m hearing some of the same patches from SIGN, but this record feels friskier and less formal.

The second question is, does it have beats?  Yes, it does.  And some are quite amazing.

PLUS is less sentimental than its predecessor, and it’s more often driven by rhythm.  “DekDre Scap B” is a short, nearly chaotic overture of sorts, something they haven’t done since the early 1990s.  On first impression, it sounds like something off 2016’s elseq. “7FM ic” is surprisingly jaunty track that struts along slowly while metallic sweeps just barely imply a melody.

“marhide” rides a loping rhythm featuring an 808 cowbell sample.  I should detest it for that reason alone, but in this context, it’s oddly fitting.  Steady washes of tuned generator noise shift back and forth across the mix, and that’s it.  If I make the track sound slight, it really isn’t.  They’re just making very good use of minimal elements.

“ecol4” takes its time developing ever so slowly over nearly 15 minutes.  It puts me in mind of “Parhelic Triangle” or “glos ceramic” in terms of atmosphere, but it’s not quite as diffuse, and the breakdown in the middle (is that a flute at the 6-minute mark?) really ties the room together.  “lux 106 mod” (I’m pretty sure that’s a callback to the Juno 106 synth) is a beatless track that would have been great on SIGN but also works well here.  

“X4” is the centerpiece of the record for me.  It’s a shivering, hyperactive workout reminiscent of some of the more active tracks from the NTS sessions or the wonderful closing track from Untilted.  It doesn’t waste a moment of its 12-minute length, it features some beautiful melodic work under the clatter (notice the stunning piano chords near the end), and it’s one of the best things they’ve done in years.

Then the record hits a bit of a wall when “iipre esc” and “esle 0” come along and stall the momentum.  There’s nothing wrong with either track.  They’re both gorgeous, but they both sound like SIGN outtakes, and the positioning is weird.

All is forgiven by the closing track, though.  If you wanted to hear Autechre subvert acid house, “TM1 open” is the track for you.  If you haven’t, you’re a terribly misguided person and I don’t want to be around you.  Its eleven-minute runtime gives it plenty of opportunity to work its way through several permutations.  The first three minutes use a chattering bass line that gets submerged in reverb, canceled by a white-noise sweep, and replaced by a more reserved bass line that sets up the sparse major-key melodic elements.  Around the 8-minute mark, the beats fade out, and we’re left with the last bits fluttering off into a slow breeze.

So there we have it:  SIGN’s extroverted brother.  The three long tracks seem to be the point of the record, and they’re worth the price of admission alone.  If they’re padded with lesser material, at least the lesser material is enjoyable.  As I said, I’m having trouble perceiving it as a distinct album, but I’m so pleased with SIGN, this is a nice supplement.