‘THERE IS A SEISMIC SHIFT TAKING PLACE IN THE WORLD OF ELECT RONICA’
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The man machine
Tim Abrahams speaks to two of contemporary electronica’s finest — AUTECHRE and CARIBOU — and finds their world to be as divisive and innovative as ever.
n 2002. Dan Snaith released an album called Slur!
Breaking My Ht'tll‘l under the name of Manitoba. Its
jany rhythms were deliyei'ed with a singular digital warmth. ‘This is beautiful electronic music rooted in the pastoral grace of Boards of Canada. lino. Apliex Twin's early ainbience. naiye l‘)h()s electro and yery early ls'raftwerk.‘ said The (iimrtliuii. Three years later. howeyer. and his third album Milk olllumun Kim/rims is all psychedelic strings and organ drone. A massiy'e change has occurred and not just in Snaitli‘s hand natne (it's now (‘zii'ibottl
If you want to get a quick idea of the seismic shift that‘s taking place in the world of electronica. go to the (ilasgow School of Art on successiye Saturdays this fortnight. Before checking out Snaith performing with his hand la band?) go and see Autechre. Well. we say ‘see' them but ask Sean Booth. one half of Autechre. why they don't liaye lights and he says: ‘(‘os we are making good sotiiid. not Riven/unit? Once upon a time they made beguiling melodic music. of the kind The (hum/ion harked back to in its reyiew of Snaith's debut. No longer. Around the time of their second album .‘Imlh’l'. they ceased to pay lip seryice to the danceable time signatures of electronica‘s Detroit-based forefathers.
Btit their latest album l'iiiil/u/ has been criticised as a climb-down from the last two albums (’oiilie/t/ and Uni/l 7.30 in some quarters. The Wire said: ‘.-\utechre peered further into the unknown and felt they couldn't abandon their sclVCs completely.‘ The melancholic yearning for an absent soul. has giy en way to music that operates by a ruthless machine logic and yearns for nothing.
After this disorientatng experience. go and see ('ai'ibou. In 3003 Snaith claimed he was frustrated by the lack of emotion and power iii electronic music. ‘l‘m far less informed than I was a couple years ago about the state of electronic music.‘ Snaith admits. llis third album Milk (l/‘Hlllllllll Kim/rims in fact isn't really an album of electronica and is closer to .’\.tly.' [iii/(l .'Iy /.oi'i' than .S'r’lr'r'lr'ilAnt/rim! lliir/ts liil I. ‘I play half of the shit :iiid the rest is sampledf admits Snaith. lle eyeii sings on it. l’or now. at least the great hope of electronica has turned his back on. well. electronica for the lure of playing liye.
Nor is he alone. Boom Bip. another bedroom heats mamifacturci‘. turned in a set at the Bongo ('luh earlier this month that was almost unrecognisable to his two studio albums. largely because it was performed by a liye four-piece. l-‘our Tet. who toured with Smith in 2003. is perhaps the most successful proponent of this
jaw/ironic. multi-layered. more organic sotiiid.
Whether it is a change in the social temperature or a shift in musical fashion. audiences are craying some sense of community with their artists. Autechre create unflinching. honest machine music which preyeias an audience from experiencing itself collectiyely. and although Booth is a fan of groups like Team l)oyobi and Mr 7(iix. eyen the latter giye you a beat you can nod your head to. ('aribou and others. how ey er. giy e tis what we need today: expansiy'e. emotiy e music. that confirms rather than denies our humanity.
Autechre play the Art School , Glasgow, Fri 15 Apr; Caribou play the Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Thu 21 Apr; Art School, Glasgow, Fri 22 Apr.
Bloc Party They can truly do no wrong at the moment. a hand With an album that is that good with the live shows to match. Barrow/and. Glasgow, Hi If) Apr. (Rock 8 pop)
’ ‘» Martyn Bennett Memorial Concert The queue of mUSlClallS lining tip to pay tribute to this pioneer ol Scottish music has been growmg and grownig and on the night there's bound to be a huge bill from all corners ol the music world congregating to celebrate Martyn's life and work. See preview. Queen ‘8 Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 75 Apr. (Folk)
7 Caribou See preview. left. Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Thu 27 Apr; Art School, Glasgow. Fri 2.9 Apr (Rock 8 pop)
Chateau The Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art gets off to a high old start With some excellent live music from the likes of Mother and the Addicts. Swimmer One. Fuck-Oil Machete, Fire Birds. Nu Bros and POintless Creations. The Arches. Glasgow, Wed 20 Apr. (Rock 8 pop)
Yuri Honing Trio The Dutch saxophonist's (pictured) popular trio mixes Vibrant and creative jazz with a penchant for unlikely pop covers. Henry 's Jazz Cellar. Edinburgh. Fri 22 Apr; The Tron, Glasgow. Sun 24 Apr. (Jazz)
Triptych The festivities kick off with the likes of Laurie Anderson. Money Mark. the Czars. the Earlies among the mu3ical treats on offer. Various venues. Glasgow 8 Edinburgh. Wed 27—Sun 7 May (Rock 8 pop;
Ken Vandermark Free Music Ensemble The Chicago-based saxophonist is one of the leading figures in the US iazz avant-garde. Henry's Jazz Cellar, Edinburgh, Thu 28 Apr. (Jazz)
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