Search - Autechre :: Amber

Amber is like facial hair; it steadily grows on you.

Derivative Contrivance | Outer, Space | 02/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The most astonishing thing about Autechre's 1st 3 albums is how astonishing they are. It takes inspiration to debut with an instant classic like Incunabula, but it takes a staggering amount of dexterity to hit your stride on the follow-up. Instead of succumbing to the sophomore slump by just dishing out another helping of the same ol', Autechre ditched the (yes, I'll admit it...) somewhat homogenized affable ambient techno template for a more insular, austere tone. I was dubious of a record that's basically a hostile cold-front compared to Incunabula's hospitable warmth, but upon listening I was immediately mollified. Amber may stark, but it is never alexithymic. It may be metallic, but it is never atonal. It may be paranoid, but it is never disturbing. It's frigid, but it's frigid like a night spent watching the Aurora Borealis; it's absolutely gorgeous. It's an Arctic panorama. Or the Cappadocia mountains in Turkey, since the album cover is a photograph of them. The music actually sounds how the album cover looks: terrestrial yet otherworldly, majestic yet eerie. This is lightyears beyond pedestrian techno. This is lightyears beyond Incunabula! Amber is a UFO; it's unclassifiable and stunning. So if your mind is starving for some esoterically stimulating music, let your ears nibble on this. Just don't make a decision on the first bite; allocate some time to digest it, because it is not instantaneously palatable. But give it some time, and you will find that Amber is a gourmet repast fit for even the most persnickety of connoisseurs."