The Soapbox Album Club 2018 Editon

i got quite into autechre in about 2005/6 when i was at the height of my prentious music snob phase so was already familiar with this album, though i'd not listened to it for probably a good 7 or 8 years.

this is electro exactly how i liked it. glitchy, with a dark mood and sounding pretty forboding. the length does prove to be challenging and tbh i would probably like it more if each song had a minute or two shaved off it but then again the ridiculous length does add to the atmosphere of things somewhat.

i always slightly preferred confield as my favourite autechre lp but this is a great start to the revitalised album club. i've not even thought about my pick yet as let's face it, we're never gonna get that far.

8/10

Really really enjoying this. The length doesn't put me off as I'd never sit down and listen to something like this as a whole piece as I probably don't understand electronic music enough to appreciate it as it deserves to be appreciated.

I've listened a couple of times through in the car and some on a plane and it fits both really well. It feels like it should be listened to on the move with scenery passing by.

Some of the ambient stuff is just stunning and I feel it spoils it just a little when the beats kick in- almost like the beats are surplus to requirements and a bit of an afterthought. Have they done a purely ambient album?

The 1-2-3 of Rotar into Stud into Eutow are my favourite moments of the album so far and I've found myself going back to that a couple of times.

Really looking forward to spending more time with the whole thing and my only slight criticism, and it's just a personal thing, is I'd like to hear more ambient, soundtracky bits and less beats- so if you can recommend something that either they've done or someone else that fits that description I'd love you long time.

8.5/10

I thought this was alright and there were parts of it which grabbed my attention, but I find it really difficult to get properly excited by music like this and, slightly lazily, usually dismiss it as background stuff. Not bad by any stretch but I couldn't see myself ever reaching for it as something I had to listen to there and then.

Yeah, I can only really echo my earlier thoughts and seemingly the general consensus on here in that, I do like it, but not as a whole piece. I like the glitchy beats and the more ambient moments, but as a whole piece, it's just a little too long for material that is very.. samey. I think as Stocky mentioned, this might be more digestible in fragments, but I'm more of a 'cohesive album' sort of listener, which is where I think people like Aphex Twin (to my limited knowledge) talk to me in this area because I feel like his albums are more catered for the palatable, structured album listener (me).

But I do enjoy the sounds and i'll definitely be digging into the Autechre oeuvre a little deeper.

6.9/10

Good shout Stocky. Best to pick albums most folk will be unfamiliar with. I was aware of Warp Records but not this artist.

I enjoyed this. The comparisons with Aphex Twin are obvious. Lots of sharp turns and brooding vibes. You can defo hear echoes of future Burial or Blanck Mass material. I don't think the album always flows particularly well, and it lacks the kind of playfulness that make Boards of Canada so good. Also think the production sounds a bit dated. But it was a new one on me so I was pleased to check it out. 7.

Listened to this at work today while writing a briefing note and was really taken by it. An easy listen when you're letting it wash over you and not focusing on it, which is something I don't have enough of on my ipod. This is a keeper. 8/10

Did you look at their birth year before reviewing it?

So now everybody has commented on the record except TUCKER. It's as if he has something more important to do with his life right now then to post his thoughts on this record.

SRK, no Sloan this time please

Opportunity missed for Tux IMO

Would love to see my son being born with my head phones in listening to the industrial beats of 'Clipper' explode and whir around my head

& just to clarify, there's no Maternity Leave from the soapbox album club!

Nah they've never really done a purely ambient album (that i'm aware of), the album before this one 'Amber' is more ambient and you should check that out too, but it still has beats, just less intense and deffo not as much going on in the tunes.

Love that you like Rotar, Stud and Eutow - i'd add Clipper and Leteral onto that, to make it a 1-2-3-4-5 punch. Clipper is my favorite Autechre song and that run of tracks is mindblowing. It's only really that last few tracks that aren't stunning off this album.

Sorry to be all Eddie Murphy but check out this Youtube vid of an early live performance (they are also amazing live), it's a trippy audience shot video and it's absolutely sensational. It's made to be watched with headphones on in the dark...

Fuck this, now I'm going to pick their album where each guy gets 1 side of an album and the drummer does a 15-minute suite. FUCK THIS.

My comments coming tonight, fear not.

So, here goes...

I gave this album a listen in a couple of different settings:

• On headphones at work
• On headphones on the train on the way to work
• On a bluetooth speaker while in the bath
• On headphones, at night, walking to the shop and back (it only took 35 mins so not the whole album)

Wow everyone has listened to the first pick and on time. could the 3rd album club actually be a success?

And should we start the next pick now or wait?

Does anyone want to trade spots? I don't want to follow a good album, I'd rather follow tucker's choice.

DOnt be such a pussy. There must be some great Sloan solo albums out there

I’ll trade.