Search - Autechre :: Garbage

An Ironically Titled Five Star Masterpiece

doktor_dog | Los Angeles, CA | 01/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Garbage was released just prior to Tri Repetae, in 1995, and it is the recording at which Autechre really hit their stride, their first true work of genius. The progression from their previous effort, Amber, is striking. The ironic thing is that it's rumored that these tracks were born from ideas that didn't make it onto that album, hence the name "Garbage." However, that would make sense because the sound of Garbage is still relatively soft, especially when compared to the mechanical harshness and pneumatic percussion that characterized Tri Repetae, which was released soon afterward. But unlike Amber, with which I wasn't very impressed, this shares one thing with Tri Repetae, brilliance. Like Amber, the four songs on this EP tend to be lengthy and minimal, but, unlike Amber, never in a pretentious or boring way; the material on Garbage is more along the lines of stuff created by Rapoon or Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol. II. What I mean is that it's minimal in an appropriate, hypnotic, spritual way, but never ostentatiously so. The manner in which these songs evolve is absolutely riveting, with a complete chokehold on my attention; you can really sense that Rob and Sean were just overflowing with ideas at this stage in their career. The textures and sounds used are exquisitely chosen. The first track, and the fourteen minute highlight of this wholly magnificent EP, "garbagemx36," is a stylistic step forward for the duo in terms of how the song is built and how it evolves. It is a harbinger of the style that would be utilized later on Chiastic Slide and especially on Tri Repetae, namely beginning with some kind of percussive sound and eventually layering many other melodies and sounds that drop in and out of the mix throughout the length of the song, resulting with something that evolves in a minimal, yet very unpredictable, subtle, and extremely interesting way. "garbagemx36" begins with a stuttering disk drive sound on which strident chirping-like sounds, soft handclap beats, and ticklish sibilants are all layered, all ending with a moving string melody. The Richard D. James influence is more evident than ever on the following two tracks, "piobmx19" and "bronchusevenmx24," the latter of which, as one might expect from the name, sounding like a reworking of one of the highlight tracks from Autechre's debut album, Incunabula. Those two tracks are very much in the style of James's SAW II; they're very organic, and they sound primitive in a deliciously errie, alien sort of way. The final track of the four, "vletrmx21," reminiscent of something that the Humberstone twins from In the Nursery might write, consists of a vast, sublime melody which can be unbearable moving when I'm in a certain state of mind, and it nicely rounds out this excellent, varied EP.Garbage is only available as an import, but U.S. fans of Autechre need not fret; they can still luckily get their hands on these songs because they are available, along with all four tracks from the Anvil Vapre EP, on the second disc of the Wax Trax! double disc release Tri Repetae, which is similarily titled Tri Repetae++. But the fact that Wax Trax!, as much as I like them, decided to do this instead of releasing the EPs seperately makes me a bit unhappy because Garbage is so damn good that it deserves to be considered on its own and not viewed as just some bonus tracks tacked onto an existing album. That's why I went out of my way and, like the stupid obsessive completist I am, spent the extra money to get this on import so I'd have the original artwork and disc. I'm hopeless. :-)"

Autechre's Absolute Best

El Reanimator-o | The CO | 06/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This EP is, in my eyes, the pinnacle of Autechre releases. Not to say their others were bad, but "Garbage" is so absolutely fantastic that it almost leaves something to be desired from their other work. The whole CD has a feel of loss, want, and remorse. There's a whole air about all 4 tracks that makes the album seem like a score to one of the greatest movies of all time. Get this CD at all costs. It's just absolutely fantastic."

A Surrealistic Journey...

funktion | The Synaptic Gap | 10/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't think I will ever find the words to describe what breathtakingly beautiful works of art these four songs on this EP represent. The sheer capacity of these songs to be so powerful and emotionally moving, to transport the listener to alternate realities and to take control of their surroundings will never ceaze to amaze me. Listen to them in total darkness, with all your other senses cut off from the rest of the world, to achieve the optimum effect, let the collection of sounds emitted from your speakers take control of your mind and body, get ready to drift far,far away......."