KVR Audio

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:00 pm

golddustwoman wrote:Not the most pleasurable hour of listening for some, i mean how will some cope with not being able to dance to it, the poor things

I don't really hear anyone seriously asserting that they expect it to be danceable. In fact, to the contrary, where it tries to be danceable, it largely fails to sound good in the process.

, but IMO I think it's a piece of work made by an artist that has helped shaped modern music in a very dynamic way, bringing hope to anyone who has a desire to create the sounds in their head and therefore it's worth a listen, at least. 20/10.

It's just a record, and for me, the decision is really about do I want to part with a few bucks to get it, and the answer is no.

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:08 pm

Had it since the day of release and have played it from beginning to end 4 times since then. It pains me to say this because I'm a huge RDJ fan, but I'm kind of disappointed. A lot of people were disappointed with drukgs, but I thought that album was absolutely brilliant. It was extremely dynamic and flowing. Syro is just...beats. And somehow his mixing seems to get worse as time progresses. Not a big deal, of course, just kind of weird.

-Sam

Sendy · Post by **Sendy** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:25 pm

Can we all agree that 180db is the worst track on there?

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:43 pm

Sendy wrote:Can we all agree that 180db is the worst track on there?

No.

Sendy · Post by **Sendy** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 10:43 pm

Aww, c'mon

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 11:06 pm

Sendy wrote:Aww, c'mon

I can see how you might prefer tracks like circlonwhatever, they just have me reaching for some plaid. All that jittery stuff is old hat to me. I feel like I'm listening to someone trying to bring back Paul Hardcastle "na-na-na-na-nineteen" style sampler abuse, not literally mind you, just figuratively. When samplers became easy to use, that sound was pretty much over.180dB is not instantly appealing, but it's like the old joke "play a bad note once and it's a mistake, play it twice, it's art" taken to an appropriate level of discipline. By the end of the track, the repeated uncomfortable riff starts to become comfortable. It reminds me a bit of Green Velvet.

I think that what I like least about it is that it doesn't work as an album. The tracks don't make me want to hear the next one.

Sendy · Post by **Sendy** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 12:14 am

Yeah, the glitchy, angular "playing with time" aspects sound like they've lost a bit of the magic to me. I start thinking about those I follow on Soundcloud and how some of them are doing this kind of thing but just better (IMO), more polished and nuanced. People that hardly anyone's heard of. To be honest, I find it hard to really sum up my feelings on the whole thing.

I also find the mixing and general sound to be a bit... stale? A lot of very dry (in the technical sense) synth patches, quite muddy in places, etc. But at times that gives it a rawness - just one that doesn't feel very controlled.

I think I'm just glad to actually hear something from him finally. I loved Drukqs and this is - at least something, even if it feels a lot less potent to me. I find myself enjoying around 30% of it.

e@rs · Post by **e@rs** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:16 am

It would have been a lot better if he released 'Syro' in 2001 and 'Drukqs' in 2014. For me at least.

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:44 am

Sendy wrote: I also find the mixing and general sound to be a bit... stale? ...quite muddy in places

Yeah, it tires me quickly.

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:52 am

Regarding 'danceabilty'.... ive never considered any of his music dance music, nor have i ever seen it described as such.

maybe this stupid 'edm' label has been placed on this album, and some of the kids have got confused

SODDI · Post by **SODDI** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:42 pm

Sounds like a Cevin Key/Download album. Except not as interesting.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 8:10 pm

Can't really think of one 100% solid Aphex album.

All of the 90's albums were good, but had enough of downers too.

He is more of a single guy, than an album person

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 9:37 pm

I found the album a bit disappointing, but still something I'll listen to one in a while. Personally, I loved the Richard D. James album the most, followed closely by Drukqs. The older stuff is good too, of course, and I'd take any of it over Syro. I guess there are a couple more releases coming, and hopefully those will be a bit more enjoyable.

Ghettosynth- I enjoyed your recollections from the early SF rave scene. I'm sure we must have met at some point!

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:04 pm

Did anybody get round to calculating the grand total of the costs listed on the front, like

"Hotel in Seattle for album playback meeting £0.00049"

Where does he find such great bargains?

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:29 pm

Numanoid wrote:Did anybody get round to calculating the grand total of the costs listed on the front, like

"Hotel in Seattle for album playback meeting £0.00049"

Where does he find such great bargains?

Its a breakdown of the retail price of the album. £29.

Aphex Twin - Syro