Autechre's 'Amber'--should I buy this?

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I've only heard a tune or two, plus Amazon samples. Read the pertinent threads here at ILM, cept the pronounciation one.

I hear this is the more ambient one. Listening to the clips doesn't blow me away, but I'm not turned off either. It's sort of like, "Well, I guess I won't know 'til I hear the whole damn thing". Whereas I was doing the same for, I think, 'EP7' and found the aggresiveness of the bleeping and blooping to be off-putting.

I'm not well versed in this kind of stuff. I have SAW II and after listening a bunch, I like it (I think), but there isn't much that jumps out at me. I got a lot of BoC and dig that pretty well--maybe my one problem is an album is a bit too long to process (and vocal loops/samples suck 90 percent of the time in any form of music, sorry!). I'm terribly interested in finding new stuff, and like the idea of this sort of thing, but don't know if it's worth a purchase. I tend to like mellow, soothing, slooooow shit--fave LPs might include 'Spirit Of Eden', 'Souvlaki', the first FSA, etc--and I'm not expecting something like 'Amber' to be exactly this, but I wonder if it wouldn't appeal to the same parts of my wee brain.

'Toughts?

― John 2, Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

the first trac will blow you away. i cant remebmer the rest. ep7 is compleetly diferent from this.

― :|, Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:37 (twenty-two years ago)

"Spirit of Eden" is to Talk Talk as "Garbage" and "Amber" are to Autechre (roughly speaking, it's probably an apples and oranges comparision but I wanted to reference the music you mentioned).

I think Amber's their best after "Chiastic Slide". I listened to it in the store before buying it and I also found it difficult to get into just from sampling small parts of it.

In conclusion : buy.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I might also add that after ten years I still think the final track "Teartear" is the finest thing they've ever done.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

definitely buy this. i have a liking for " mellow, soothing, slooooow shit" as well, and this record does the job nicely. it's possibly my fave autechre release - although incunabula is not far behind. silverside is my favourite - lovely synth melody, with great dark robot voices in the background. i love that dripping-tap effect at the start of "further" too. best lullaby-track award goes to "Nine". that's a pretty one.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:41 (twenty-two years ago)

(yes, i had to look at the sleeve to find out the song titles before posting)

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

buy it. i consider everything up to "chiastic slide" as essential, though. even incunabula.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Sunday, 25 April 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Buy, my friend! (For what it's worth I'd say every album of Autechre up through LP5 is essential. But that's me.)

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

By far and away one of their more listenable albums. Buy.

― ___ (___), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

'amber' and 'anti' are autechre's finest moments, and i've been listening since incunabla in 93. very listenable, very emotionally engaging.

― wallace winfrey, Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:18 (twenty-two years ago)

My thoughts -- in brief, it's transitional but still often striking.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

My favourite Autechre album. Buy.

― Omar (Omar), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

worth it for the last ~3 minutes of piezo alone, IMO. It's my second fav. after TR.

― Elliot (Elliot), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

btw I've read rumours that they dislike the album now. any truth to these?

― Elliot (Elliot), Sunday, 25 April 2004 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a very good introduction to Autechre as it's far and away their most listenable without compromising their experimentation. Yes it is very ambient, very majestic - perhaps a little dated now? All the same, a pleasant experience. I do prefer LP5 over this one as it's just totally stellar in means of feeling and vibe - there's no album like it to be honest. But I'd definitely check Amber before any of the others, especially if you haven't heard too much music like this.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 25 April 2004 19:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i much prefer autechre's softer approach, i have to say. most of the post-amber stuff i've heard hurts my ears.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 25 April 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

i prefer them from chiastic slide onwards, i like them more when they are severe and nostalgic. the later albums all seem to be a eulogy to the triangle between the m62, the a1, and the m18.

― gareth (gareth), Sunday, 25 April 2004 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)

FWIW I find Amber pretty boring (actually sold it a couple years ago). From what you describe you might like Toroise's TNT. Just thinking aloud.

― Mark (MarkR), Sunday, 25 April 2004 21:50 (twenty-two years ago)

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