Autechre
Autechre (/ɔːˈtɛkər/)[1] are an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are among the best known acts signed to UK electronic label Warp Records, through which all of Autechre's full-length albums have been released beginning with their 1993 debut Incunabula. They gained initial recognition when they were featured on Warp's 1992 compilation Artificial Intelligence.[2]
Autechre
Influenced by styles such as 1980s electro and hip hop, the music of Autechre has evolved throughout their career from early, melodic techno recordings to later works often considered abstract and experimental, featuring complex composition and few stylistic conventions.[2] Their work has been associated with the 1990s electronic genre known as intelligent dance music (IDM),[3] though Booth has dismissed the label as "silly."[4]
Influences[edit]
A wide variety of influences have been noted as discernible in Autechre's music. The duo's roots in tagging, early hip hop and electro music, and b-boy culture in general are still evident, with many reviews noting hip hop rhythms—sometimes heavily obscured or processed, and sometimes explicit even in later work. All of Autechre's live webcasts have featured large amounts of early hip hop and electro. In a review of Oversteps, The Wire noted "Treale" as being "a reminder of Booth and Brown's musical apprenticeship as teenage B-boys".[47] As Autechre's music and studio setup evolved, reviews started to note influences from farther afield; experiments in generative synthesis, musique concrète and FM synthesis drew comparisons with Iannis Xenakis, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Bernard Parmegiani from critics such as Paul Morley.[48] The group have mentioned musique concrète composers Tod Dockstader and Edgard Varèse as influences.[6] Autechre also cite Coil as a major influence, with an unfinished collaboration of unknown completeness occurring around the release of LP5 and EP7.[49] Chris Richards of The Washington Post stated in 2015 that Autechre create "some of the most complicated music you could ever hope to drown in" and are "recognized as pioneers in experimental music".[50] Autechre's work has been described as "music that sounds like it designed itself, with audio fractals that change constantly like living organisms."[51]