About this item

Showcasing a mastery of ambient atmospheres and industrial heft rarely associated with Autechres later works, 1994's 'Amber' was a formative and bracing outing, full of glitchy hooks and dusty pads.

After the woozy swells and sweeps of opener 'Foil' comes a scintillating foray into glitchy rhytm and clean-cut bass throbs on 'Montreal'. Driving rhythms and punchy kicks punctuate meandering synth lines and weighty bass stabs. Juxtaposed with follower 'Silverside', this could easily soundtrack a journey into space with a possibly catastrophic (possibly near-catastrophic) outcome, full of fearful apprehension, visceral and inbued with emotion.

The theme of subject and resolution (or dissolution) is not uncommon throughout Amber. The incredible punchy star-gazing beauty of 'Slip' is followed up with the sparse and fractured hypnotic techno of the aptly named 'Glitch', just to bring you back to earth with a bang. Echoic stabs and glassine shards of melody ricochet around, underpinned by resonant squeals and a distinctly unsociable percussive workout.

'Nine' sees glistening keyboard and sub-bass swarm together into a chorused and stunning declaration of undying kinship (let no man ever part them), before being callously stalked by the by the minimalist gloom of 'Further'.

Amber is an epic outing full of dark and light, each dip or peak more profound and tranformative than the last, and each transition impeccably realised and further accentuated with Brown & Booth's stoically clinical production talent. Essential. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Probably my favourite Autechre outing of the lot this. Periodic moments of exaltation intersected with industrial throbs and forceful technoid mutations. A bracing listen, and one for listening to in full and uninterrupted.