The blog magazine has remained remarkably constant over the last few weeks as I explore my current interest in electronica, minimalism and IDM (apologies for regular readers waiting for some americana or good old rock music - it will come, I'm only honestly reporting what happens to be in the player each week).
Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds Of (CD 1)
Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds Of (CD 2)
Autechre - Tri Repetae
Manitoba - Start Breaking My Heart
Jan Jelinek - Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records
Emeralds - Does It Look Like I'm Here
Texas ambient duo Stars of the Lid retain their place for the third straight week with their gorgeous double album The Tired Sounds Of.
Manitoba aka Caribou refuse to be budged too. Each time the magazine runs through the slots and Start Breaking My Heart comes on I want to hear it again and again. It's a superb record of easy listening jazz tinged electronica, probably closest to the Blue States sound I revisited a few weeks ago. There are only a couple of tracks that grate a little being more experimental and seeming out of place in the context of the overall easy vibe of the album.
And the Jan Jelinek is a stone cold classic. I've heard music like this before but generally only by the track. Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records succeeds so well as it maintains such a consistent atmosphere throughout all it's tracks (there are 8 but the theme is so strong that it is really like listening to one piece of music). I'm so pleased to have discovered this record which adds something almost entirely new and original to my collection - it will certainly feature in my year end review.
On to the new entries (or reentries). Cleveland trio Emeralds make a reentry after a first listen a few weeks ago. Does It Look Like I'm Here has grown on me and I've enjoyed some long solo car journeys with the album at high volume. It is a loud record that creates a dense wall of sound of thick keyboard arpeggios, bass, and guitar. I know I said this in my previous review but as well as a few Terry Riley loops it is most like Tangerine Dream after they went a little more commercial around the time of Tangram or White Eagle. Again, though, like the Jelinek, Emeralds do retain a sound of their own and I could put this record on in a few year's time and instantly recognise them. Actually let's do the music map on them:
Well, that's interesting. I don't think I recognise any of that at all apart from Popul Vuh partially obscured at the bottom.
The new album this week is Autechre's third Tri Repetae from 1996. It is more consistently rhythmic than Untilted which I reviewed back in log # 61. In fact many of the tracks lock into a groove for 7 or 8 minutes without really going anywhere in terms of unexpected shifts of key or rhythm. As such I must admit feeling slightly disappointed on the first few listens having expected Autechre to live up to their reputation as trail blazers in the industrial-techno field.
This is mostly the case with opener Dael which is relatively uninteresting with a repetitive bass riff which goes on a bit. Things pick up with the powerful Clipper which would make an amazing Science Fiction film soundtrack (think U-ziq). Leterel is a fusion of Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin (music map please. Ed). Rotar is again U-Ziq like or Squarepusher.
The second half of the album is more interesting beginning with the amazing near 10 minute Stud which sounds like being trapped deep in a cave. We then move firmly into Aphex Twin territory, first with some short rhythm pieces then with the lovely hypnotic Overand which could have come right off Selected Ambient Works II.
No major surprises there on the music-map and interesting to see Mouse On Mars referenced.
Despite this lukewarm initial reaction I am confident Tri Repetae will be one of those records I will return to and discover new delights, and possibly more often than the more difficult Untilted (2005).
* The CD issue of Tri Repetae is marked with the words "Incomplete Without Surface Noise". The vinyl version is marked "Complete With Surface Noise".
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