Confield: Difference between revisions
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* "Pen Expers" was made using a Minidisk, "like by pausing a DMX drum machine." <ref>[[Interview with SB for Reverb Magazine, January 2008]]</ref> | * "Pen Expers" was made using a Minidisk, "like by pausing a DMX drum machine." <ref>[[Interview with SB for Reverb Magazine, January 2008]]</ref> | ||
* The title is | * The title is possible a play on Python's generator object <genexpr>. <!-- initially this said that it was a reference to Max's patching language GenExpr, but the gen~ objects were only added in 2011. but python's genexpr has results before 2001. https://python-reference.readthedocs.io/en/latest/docs/comprehensions/gen_expression.html | ||
it would generate [<generator object <genexpr> at 0x0223E2B0>] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16373484/getting-generator-object-genexpr --> | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yehrsC51z4 An early version of "Pen Expers" mashed up with Vangelis's "Cosmos" was performed at Coachella 1999.] | * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yehrsC51z4 An early version of "Pen Expers" mashed up with Vangelis's "Cosmos" was performed at Coachella 1999.] | ||
Revision as of 15:44, 4 March 2024
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Confield is the sixth studio album by Autechre released on Warp Records. It was originally released on April 30th, 2001, then later repressed on vinyl in 2023, alongside Draft 7.30.
History
The material shown on Confield was developed over 18 months. [1]
In the Sound On Sound Interview, April 2004, Autechre gave some context to the development of Confield, specifically noting the increased use of Max first in live sets and then in studio experiments "that weren't really applicable in a club environment" lead to what would become Confield.[2]
However, Autechre has pushed back on the narrative that Confield was a purely 'generative' Max record.[3] In the same Sound On Sound interview, Sean expressed discomfort with how generative was taken to mean random when the material was based on heavily controlled set of rules and "analogue sequencers and drum machines" for complex sequencing.[2]
Rob noted that roughly 10% of Confield was properly generative,[4] and in an Interview with SB for Reverb Magazine, January 2008, Sean further clarified that only 3 tracks on Confield even used Max for sequencing.[5] Confield was mostly done by hand with Logic Pro.[6]
The record has gained a status for being one of their most difficult records, however Sean felt that "it's like pop music compared to some of the stuff we had considered putting out!"[2] and that the record was "another album" similar to Chiastic Slide rather than a huge leap forward.[7]
Cover
There are two versions of the cover for Confield: the CD issues[8] - seen in the thumbnail of the article - and the vinyl issues.[9]
For the promotion cycle of Confield, a page was posted by Warp titled Confileid (Con File ID). On the page, it featured an animation of dozens of 3D planes being scattered with a moving camera. Multiple frames of the animation went on to be used in the design of Confield, including for both of the main covers.
When Confield and Draft 7.30 was reissued in 2023, Warp put out a promotional video for Confield featuring the same animation but in higher quality. They also put out a series of shorts of album tracks played over animations; both of the original for Sim Gishel and Lentic Catachresis, as well as different versions including a fountain-like eruption for VI Scose Poise, Cfern, Pen Expers; a side downpour for Bine and Eidetic Casein; and a top-down view for Parhelic Triangle and Uviol.
A high quality frame from the animation was also used as a Twitch image for au7echre.
Tracks
VI Scose Poise
- The same reyong instrument used on "Parhelic Triangle" was also used on "VI Scose Poise" [10]
- On an old promotional website the track used to be called "VI Code Spoilse"
Cfern
Pen Expers
- "Pen Expers" was made using a Minidisk, "like by pausing a DMX drum machine." [11]
- The title is possible a play on Python's generator object <genexpr>.
- An early version of "Pen Expers" mashed up with Vangelis's "Cosmos" was performed at Coachella 1999.
Sim Gishel
- "Sim Gishel" only used some algorithmic elements.[12]
Parhelic Triangle
- Sean noted that "Parhelic Triangle" didn't rely on any generative/algorithmic elements at all.[12]
- In the July Twitch AMA, Sean explained that the process behind "Parhelic Triangle". He first recorded himself playing a reyong (a type of gamelan instrument) which was then taken into Logic. The "couple of MIDI parts laid over the top" of the track were detuned to 9 EDO to be in key with the reyong. The loose pulse of the track is due to the reyong being played somewhat irregularly by Sean and him having to manually time it up in Logic before overlaying the percussion to it. The percussion was assembled from "rubber bands in a shoebox sampled on an Emu E-synth". [13]
Bine
Eidetic Casein
Uviol
- A 16-minute version of "Uviol" was played during the 2008-02-23 Webcast. In the WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, Sean mentioned that the longer versions are often parts of the real-time jams without as much editing. [14]
- "Uviol" was one of the tracks to use a lot of Max sequencing. [12]
Lentic Catachresis
- The ending half of "Lentic Catachresis" has the same progression as Lego Feet's "Part 1".
MCR Quarter
- The title is likely a play on Envane's "Quarter" naming aesthetic, and MCR likely is just short for Manchester.
- As listed on the Japanese CD issue, "MCR Quarter" was recorded in 1998 at Manchester's Band On The Wall, however it reappeared (possibly just replayed the bootleg recording) at Warp's 10th Anniversary event on November, 5 1999.
Tracklist
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | VI Scose Poise | 6:57 |
| 2 | Cfern | 6:41 |
| 3 | Pen Expers | 7:08 |
| 4 | Sim Gishel | 7:15 |
| 5 | Parhelic Triangle | 6:04 |
| 6 | Bine | 4:41 |
| 7 | Eidetic Casein | 6:12 |
| 8 | Uviol | 8:35 |
| 9 | Lentic Catachresis | 8:30 |
| 1:02:03 | ||
| 10 | MCR Quarter (Recorded Live At Band On The Wall, Manchester 1998) [Japanese CD exclusive] | 11:03 |
| Total | 1:13:06 | |
Trivia
- The CAT number, WARP128, was likely specifically requested by Autechre. 128 is the seventh power of 2.
- Confield was originally titled "L.E.D." on a promotional CDr, distributed by Source 360°
Links
- AE_STORE
- Apple Music
- Bandcamp
- Bleep
- Discogs
- Soundcloud
- Spotify
- Repress announcement tweet
- Repress release tweet
Credits
- Autechre (production)
- Rob Brown (writer)
- Sean Booth (writer)
- Frank Arkwright (mastering engineer) [8]
References
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20020816104848/http://www.autechre.nu/cgi-bin/newspro/news.cgi?newsid1018136565,21609,#:~:text=it%20spans%20about%2018%20months..%20it%27s%20a%20selection.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sound On Sound Interview, April 2004
- ↑ Q1541, WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, November 2013
- ↑ Q1194, WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, November 2013
- ↑ Interview with SB for Reverb Magazine, January 2008
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/autechre/comments/9of3dv/autechres_tsugi_interview_translated/
- ↑ Q795, WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, November 2013
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://www.discogs.com/master/1374-Autechre-Confield
- ↑ https://www.discogs.com/release/8434-Autechre-Confield
- ↑ https://aepages.org/wiki/Sean_Twitch_AMA,_July_2022#:~:text=I%20used%20them%20on%20VI%20Scose%20Poise%20and%20Parhelic%20Triangle%2C
- ↑ Interview with SB for Reverb Magazine, January 2008
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Q1193, WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, November 2013
- ↑ https://aepages.org/wiki/Sean_Twitch_AMA,_July_2022#:~:text=How%20the%20hell%20were%20the%20sounds%20on%20Parhelic%20Triangle%20made%3F
- ↑ [1]Q289, WATMM Ask Autechre Anything, November 2013